Category: Earth

Rescued Astronauts Butch Wilmore, Suni Williams Give First Interview Since Return To Earth, Thank Trump For Involvement

NASA astronauts Suni Williams (L) and Butch Wilmore laugh while answering questions during NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 post-flight news conference at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, on March 31, 2025. After an unexpected nine-month stay in space, the pair of NASA astronauts finally returned to Earth on March 18, 2025, concluding a mission that captured global attention and became a political flashpoint. (Photo by Mark Felix / AFP) (Photo by MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images)
NASA astronauts Suni Williams (L) and Butch Wilmore laugh while answering questions during NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 post-flight news conference at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, on March 31, 2025. After an unexpected nine-month stay in space, the pair of NASA astronauts finally returned to Earth on March 18, 2025, concluding a mission that captured global attention and became a political flashpoint. (Photo by MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images)

OAN Staff Abril Elfi
2:22 PM – Monday, March 31, 2025

Rescued NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams gave their first interview since returning to earth after being stranded in space for nine months, thanking President Donald Trump for his involvement.

On Monday, Fox News aired Willmore and Williams’ first interview since their return from space, in which Willmore said he’s “grateful” that Trump is taking an “active role” in space flight programs.

Wilmore also stated that it’s “refreshing” that the current administration has shown a keen interest and that Trump, as well as Elon Musk, had earned his trust.

“I have no reason not to believe anything they say because they’ve earned my trust,” Wilmore, 62, said.

“For that, I am grateful that our national leaders are coming in and taking part in our human space flight program, which we see as hugely important, [of] global significance, and they are taking an active role. And based on the past and what we’re seeing now… it’s refreshing, not just refreshing, it’s empowering,” he continued.

When he was asked what he would say to Trump and Musk, Wilmore responded, “I respect you. I trust you. You’ve given me no reason not to, either one of them.”

Williams added that she, too, appreciated Trump and Musk were taking an interest.

“I’m just glad that they’re involved and they’re taking notice,” Williams, 59, said.

She added that their situation “allowed a lot of people, including the president and Elon, to look at what’s going on at the International Space Station, take it very seriously and understand that our involvement as a country, as a space-faring nation, is really important throughout the world.”

“It sets an example and it shows, you know, our ability to be able to put people in space, operate in space, work in space, and then bring them back,” she said.

However, when asked if Boeing was among those at fault for the incident, they did not deem anyone responsible.

“I wouldn’t characterize it as they failed us,” Williams said. “I characterize it as there was a huge team that was working together diligently to try to weigh all the risks of putting people in a spacecraft for the very first time with brand new systems.”

“Putting people on spacecraft and launching them into space for extended periods of time, it’s hard.”

Wilmore said that he is “culpable” too and that everyone has a bit of blame in what happened.

“Is Boeing to blame, are they culpable? Sure. Is NASA to blame? Are they culpable? Sure. Everybody has a piece in this because it did not come up. There was some shortcomings in tests, shortcomings in preparation that we did not foresee,” he said.

“Could you point fingers? I don’t want to point fingers. I hope nobody wants to point fingers. We don’t want to look back and say ‘shame, shame, shame.’ We will look forward and say, ‘let’s rectify what we’ve learned and let’s make the future even more productive and better.’”

Wilmore and Williams, 59, splashed down off the Gulf Coast of Florida near Tallahassee — just before 6 p.m. ET on March 18th. They returned to Earth after being in space for 286 days.

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SpaceX Crew Dragon Capsule Carrying 2 Astronauts Returns To Earth After Being ‘Stuck’ For 286 Days

(EDITOR'S NOTE: This Handout image was provided by a third-party organization and may not adhere to Getty Images' editorial policy.) In this handout image provided by NASA, A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is seen as it lands with NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov aboard in the water on March 18, 2025 off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida, Hague, Gorbunov, Williams, and Wilmore are returning from a long-duration science expedition aboard the International Space Station. (Photo by Keegan Barber/NASA via Getty Images)
In this handout image provided by NASA, A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is seen as it lands with NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov aboard in the water on March 18, 2025 off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Keegan Barber/NASA via Getty Images)

OAN Staff Abril Elfi
4:33 PM – Tuesday, March 18, 2025

After spending 286 days stranded in space, two NASA astronauts who have been documented throughout the journey safely returned to Earth on Tuesday — where their families joyfully celebrated their long-awaited homecoming.

In addition to the two American astronauts, a Russian cosmonaut and the American commander of the Crew-9 mission were aboard as well.

The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, carrying Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, as well as two others, splashed down off the Gulf Coast of Florida near Tallahassee — just before 6 p.m. ET.

Boats were already waiting at the scene to inspect the capsule and retrieve its parachutes.

The recovery team typically checks for any signs of toxic propellant from the thrusters, as it can make astronauts and other crew members become ill. A recovery team climbed onto the capsule to prepare it for lifting onto the recovery ship.

After approximately half an hour, a recovery ship named “Megan,” which pulls the capsule out of the water, finally reached them. The capsule was then pulled out of the water and placed on the recovery ship. The team then reportedly cleaned the outside of Megan and opened the side hatch to get the crew down.

Nick Hague, the commander of the Crew-9 mission, was let off first — sliding down and being placed on a stretcher.

Next up was Russian cosmonaut and aerospace engineer Aleksandr Gorbunov, who spent 170 days in space. Hague and Gorbunov were launched to the ISS onboard the Dragon Freedom spacecraft in September 2024.

Williams was next off, followed by Wilmore, returning to Earth after being in space for 286 days. They originally arrived at the space station aboard the Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft.

Following their initial medical examinations, the astronauts will be brought to shore by helicopter from the recovery ship, and then to the Johnson Space Center in Houston for additional medical testing.

While astronauts may be reunited with loved ones as soon as they arrive at the center, NASA said it is common for them to spend a few days at the facility’s astronaut quarters — before flight surgeons clear them to return home.

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