Washington DC [US]: Former US President Donald Trump stated that he would personally pay for the overtime of astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore after learning they received only USD 5 per day for their extended stay in space.
During a media interaction in the Oval Office, Fox News journalist Peter Doocy highlighted that the two astronauts received a mere USD 5 per day for 286 extra days, amounting to just USD 1,430 in total. He questioned what the administration could do for them.
Trump responded, “Well, nobody’s ever mentioned this to me. If I have to, I’ll pay it out of my own pocket…That’s not a lot for what they had to go through.”
He also took the opportunity to thank Elon Musk for bringing the astronauts back safely, stating, “I want to thank Elon Musk… and if we didn’t have Elon, they could have been up there a long time.”
According to a report by The New York Times, NASA astronauts are considered federal employees on official travel orders while in space. They do not receive overtime, holiday, or weekend pay. Instead, they are given a daily “incidentals” allowance similar to other federal employees on work trips.
Jimi Russell, a spokesman for NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate, explained via email that while astronauts’ transportation, meals, and lodging are covered, they receive a per diem payment of USD 5 per day for incidental expenses.
In his remarks, Trump also addressed the controversies surrounding Musk, stating, “He’s (Musk) gone through a lot, what they’re doing to him. And these people are going to be caught, and they’re going to be prosecuted… I’ll tell you, there’s going to be no leniency, and there’ll be no pardons.”
Earlier, Trump had claimed on Truth Social that individuals caught sabotaging Tesla vehicles could face up to 20 years in prison. Since Musk took charge of the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE),” Tesla facilities have reportedly been targeted by vandals and protesters in recent weeks.