‘Out Of My Own Pocket…’: Trump Offers To Pay Sunita Williams For Overtime In Space
Sunita Williams, along with her NASA colleague Butch Wilmore, returned to Earth on Tuesday, nine months after being stuck in space.
US President Donald Trump on Friday said that he would pay NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore out of his own pocket for overtime they had to stay in space.
Trump also thanked Elon Musk for the SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft used to bring the stranded astronauts back home.
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On being asked about the two astronauts that he just “helped save from space, they didn’t get any overtime pay", Trump said, “If I have to, I’ll pay it out of my own pocket… And I want to thank Elon Musk by the way because think if we didn’t have him".
REPORTER: The two astronauts that you just helped save from space, they didn’t get any overtime pay…@POTUS: “If I have to, I’ll pay it out of my own pocket… and I want to thank @elonmusk by the way because think if we don’t have him." pic.twitter.com/b86RanXggp— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 21, 2025
NASA astronauts, like Wilmore and Williams, get the same standard salary as other government employees. They work 40 hours a week and don’t get extra pay for overtime, weekends, or holidays. According to NASA, astronauts earned over $152,000 last year.
Even while in space, astronauts receive their regular salary because they are considered to be on official travel as government employees. This means NASA covers their transportation, stay, and meals. They also get extra money for small daily expenses, called “incidentals." Right now, this amount is $5 per day. For Wilmore and Williams, who spent 286 days in space, this adds up to $1,430 each.
Trump’s remarks came days after Williams and Wilmore splashed down off the coast in Florida on Tuesday aboard SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, nine months after being stranded at the International Space Station – originally what was a week mission.
The astronauts had to stay in space longer because the Boeing Starliner spacecraft had a problem. The Starliner returned to Earth alone, while the astronauts stayed behind in space.
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