Fact Check: Did Joe Biden purposefully leave astronauts stranded in space for political gain true?

WASHINGTON, DC: NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams returned to Earth on Tuesday, March 18, after orbiting in space for nine months.

Their SpaceX capsule parachuted into the Gulf of America in the evening on Tuesday, hours after departing the International Space Station.

Amid this, there have been rumors claiming that former President Joe Biden purposefully left astronauts in space for political gain. But is there any truth to this? Let us find out below.

Claim: Joe Biden purposefully left astronauts in space for political gain

President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk have repeatedly claimed that Joe Biden left NASA's Boeing Starliner astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore in space for political gain.

The POTUS claimed that efforts to transport the astronauts home began with his administration rather than Biden's.

Meanwhile, Musk also alleged several times that SpaceX offered to bring the astronauts back but was refused by the Biden administration.

Several internet users further spread the rumor across social media. A user wrote on X, "I still can’t believe that two Americans were stuck in space for months, and the previous administration refused to bring them back when given the opportunity. Welcome home!" 

Another X user wrote, "Elon Musk details how the Biden administration left the astronauts stranded in space because he didn't want SpaceX to get the credit for rescuing them during Biden's term in office. It was political."

False: NASA was working on the Starliner crew's return to Earth since August 2024

It must be noted that the claims made are not true as NASA was discussing how to facilitate the Starliner crew's return as early as August 2024, according to Snopes.

Moreover, the SpaceX capsule that brought the astronauts back was not only docked at the ISS by September 2024 but was also scheduled for an early 2025 return, per the fact-checking outlet.

Furthermore, Snopes could not find any documented proof to corroborate Musk's claim that he offered to rescue the astronauts earlier.

Meanwhile, NASA spokesperson Joshua Finch sent links to two of the agency's news conferences.

In the first one from March 14, a reporter asked if NASA leadership could give "any clarity" on "claims that the previous administration refused to bring home the Starliner astronauts despite an offer being made", per the outlet.

Interestingly, NASA's space operations associate administrator, Kenneth Bowersox, responded that he "can't give you a lot of clarity there."

Bowersox said, "Those discussions, I wasn't part of, so I can't tell you if they did happen or didn't happen."

He added, "All I can tell you is NASA is an incredible nonpartisan agency. We get support from whoever is in office. Our presidents always care a lot about what happens at NASA, and it's great to see that trend continue with our current president."

Moreover, despite Trump's and Musk's claims that they set a rescue plan in motion, NASA documentation reveals that the plan to get Williams and Wilmore back to Earth has been in discussion since August 2024, per Snopes.