Elon Musk has sparked controversy by claiming NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore were kept aboard the ISS “for political reasons.” His remarks, made during a Fox News interview with Donald Trump, were quickly refuted by European Space Agency astronaut Andreas Mogensen, who called Musk’s claim false,

The debate escalated as Musk insulted Mogensen and former astronaut Scott Kelly, who defended NASA’s decision. NASA reaffirmed that safety, not politics, dictated the delay, explaining that Williams and Wilmore would return on a SpaceX Crew Dragon as planned. The astronauts themselves dismissed claims they were “abandoned,” emphasizing their mission remains on track.