US President Donald Trump has asked Elon Musk and Space X to ‘go get’ two astronauts who’ve been ‘abandoned in space by the Biden Administration’.
On June 5, 2024, NASA’s Boeing Starliner Calypso was launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station for an eight-day round trip to the International Space Station (ISS).
Alas, over six months later and astronauts Sunita ‘Suni’ Williams and Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore are still yet to have returned.
As the Boeing Starliner Calypso approached the ISS, the capsule’s thrusters malfunctioned and NASA ruled it too dangerous for Williams and Wilmore to return to Earth onboard the space vehicle as planned on June 14.
Their return was subsequently postponed and a plan put in place for the pair to travel back with SpaceX Crew-9, however, NASA later announced a further adjustment of the date for Williams and Wilmore to be picked up in a blog post.
On its site, it explained NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 was now ‘targeting no earlier than late March 2025 to launch four crew members to the ISS’.
“The change gives NASA and SpaceX teams time to complete processing on a new Dragon spacecraft for the mission. The new spacecraft is set to arrive to the company’s processing facility in Florida in early January,” it added.
As a result, this meant Williams and Wilmore’s return to Earth would be delayed until March 2025.
Although, Donald Trump has since seemingly called on Elon Musk to get the astronauts back even sooner, taking to his social media platform, Truth Social, last night (January 28) to reveal: “I have just asked Elon Musk and Space X to ‘go get’ the two brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned in space by the Biden Administration.
“They have been waiting for many months on Space Station. Elon will soon be on his way. Hopefully, all will be safe. Good luck Elon!!!”
Musk shared the post on Twitter earlier today, adding a salute emoji to the post.
Donald Trump has called on Elon Musk (Truth Social/ Donald Trump/ Twitter/ Elon Musk)
Despite Trump accusing ‘the Biden Administration’ of having ‘virtually abandoned’ the astronauts, NASA states it and SpaceX ‘assessed various options for managing the next crewed handover, including using another Dragon spacecraft and manifest adjustments’.
“After careful consideration, the team determined that launching Crew-10 in late March, following completion of the new Dragon spacecraft, was the best option for meeting NASA’s requirements and achieving space station objectives for 2025,” it’s blog post resolved.
UNILAD has contacted NASA for comment.
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Featured Image Credit: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images / Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Topics: Donald Trump, NASA, Politics, Space, US News, Elon Musk, Space X, International Space Station
The White House’s website states 25 executive orders have been signed since Donald Trump was inaugurated.
Within the first 24 hours of being sworn in as the President of the United States for the second time, Donald Trump has wasted no time signing off on multiple executive orders.
Halting the TikTok ban
The White House website states: “To fulfil those responsibilities, I intend to consult with my advisors, including the heads of relevant departments and agencies on the national security concerns posed by TikTok, and to pursue a resolution that protects national security while saving a platform used by 170 million Americans.
“My Administration must also review sensitive intelligence related to those concerns and evaluate the sufficiency of mitigation measures TikTok has taken to date.”
The ban has subsequently been paused ‘for a period of 75 days’ to allow Trump’s administration to ‘determine the appropriate course forward’.
Trump has paused the TikTok ban (Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Official policy that there are ‘only two genders’
The order’s title reads: “Defending women from gender ideology extremism and restoring biological truth to the federal government.”
The policy recognizes ‘two sexes, male and female’ and states them as not being ‘changeable’ but ‘grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality.
“Each agency and all Federal employees shall enforce laws governing sex-based rights, protections, opportunities, and accommodations to protect men and women as biologically distinct sexes.
“Agencies shall remove all statements, policies, regulations, forms, communications, or other internal and external messages that promote or otherwise inculcate gender ideology, and shall cease issuing such statements, policies, regulations, forms, communications or other messages. Agency forms that require an individual’s sex shall list male or female, and shall not request gender identity. Agencies shall take all necessary steps, as permitted by law, to end the Federal funding of gender ideology.”
The order states the US will only recognize ‘male’ and ‘female’ (CHIP SOMODEVILLA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
‘Restoring’ death penalty
The order accuses Biden’s government and judges who oppose capital punishment of ‘efforts to subvert and undermine capital punishment defy the laws of [the] nation, make a mockery of justice, and insult the victims of these horrible crimes’.
Trump’s order states: “The Government’s most solemn responsibility is to protect its citizens from abhorrent acts, and my Administration will not tolerate efforts to stymie and eviscerate the laws that authorize capital punishment against those who commit horrible acts of violence against American citizens.”
The policy adds: “It is the policy of the United States to ensure that the laws that authorize capital punishment are respected and faithfully implemented, and to counteract the politicians and judges who subvert the law by obstructing and preventing the execution of capital sentences.”
Trump’s order seeks to ‘restore’ the death penalty (Jeremy Hogan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
‘Ending radical and wasteful government diversity, equity and inclusion’ programs
The order states: “The Biden Administration forced illegal and immoral discrimination programs, going by the name ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ (DEI), into virtually all aspects of the Federal Government, in areas ranging from airline safety to the military.
“[…] Pursuant to Executive Order 13985 and follow-on orders, nearly every Federal agency and entity submitted ‘Equity Action Plans’ to detail the ways that they have furthered DEIs infiltration of the Federal Government. The public release of these plans demonstrated immense public waste and shameful discrimination. That ends today.
“Americans deserve a government committed to serving every person with equal dignity and respect, and to expending precious taxpayer resources only on making America great.”
Trump’s administration also plans to scrap ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ programs (KEVIN LAMARQUE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Reversing 78 of Biden’s ‘harmful’ executive actions
The executive order accuses the previous administration of embedding ‘deeply unpopular, inflationary, illegal and radical practices within every agency and office of the Federal Government’.
It continues: “The injection of ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ (DEI) into our institutions has corrupted them by replacing hard work, merit, and equality with a divisive and dangerous preferential hierarchy.
“Orders to open the borders have endangered the American people and dissolved Federal, State, and local resources that should be used to benefit the American people.
“Climate extremism has exploded inflation and overburdened businesses with regulation.”
The order accuses Biden’s administration of ‘radical practices’ (Mandel Ngan – Pool/Getty Images)
Pardoning Capitol Rioters
Under the section titled ‘Ending the Weaponization of the federal government,’ the White House’s page states: “The Department of Justice even jailed an individual for posting a political meme. And while the Department of Justice has ruthlessly prosecuted more than 1,500 individuals associated with January 6, and simultaneously dropped nearly all cases against BLM rioters. “
Trump accuses the past administration of ‘inflicting political pain’ rather than ‘pursuing actual justice or legitimate government objectives’ against Americans who ‘spoke out against previous administration’s actions and other Americans who were simply exercising constitutionally protected rights’.
The order links to a presidential action pardoning multiple individuals ‘convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, to time served as of January 20, 2025’ alongside granting ‘a full, complete or unconditional pardon to all other individuals convicted of offenses related to events’ on the same day too.
The White House’s website states: “This proclamation ends a grave national injustice that has been perpetrated upon the American people over the last four years and begins a process of national reconciliation.”
Free speech and federal censorship
The White House’s website states: “Enshrines the right of the American people to speak freely in the public square without Government interference.
“Over the last four years, the previous administration trampled free speech rights by censoring Americans’ speech on online platforms, often by exerting substantial coercive pressure on third parties, such as social media companies, to moderate, deplatform, or otherwise suppress speech that the Federal Government did not approve. Under the guise of combatting ‘misinformation,’ ‘disinformation,’ and ‘malinformation,’ the Federal Government infringed on the constitutionally protected speech rights of American citizens across the United States in a manner that advanced the Government’s preferred narrative about significant matters of public debate.
:Government censorship of speech is intolerable in a free society.”
The White House website says the first amendment ‘enshrines the right of the American people to speak freely in the public square without Government interference’ (John Keeble/Getty Images)
Blocking refugees
The order suspends the US Refugee Admissions Program ‘until such time as the further entry into the United States of refugees aligns with the interests of the United States’.
“The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security may jointly determine to admit aliens to the United States as refugees on a case-by-case basis, in their discretion, but only so long as they determine that the entry of such aliens as refugees is in the national interest and does not pose a threat to the security or welfare of the United States.” it says.
Limiting birthright citizenship
If a ‘person’s mother was unlawfully present in the US and the father was not a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of said person’s birth’ or ‘when that person’s mother’s presence in the United States at the time of said person’s birth was lawful but temporary (such as, but not limited to, visiting the United States under the auspices of the Visa Waiver Program or visiting on a student, work, or tourist visa) and the father was not a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of said person’s birth’ then the person is not ‘automatically’ given the ‘priceless and profound gift’ of ‘the United States citizenship‘.
The order is suspending the US Refugee Admissions Program (Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
‘Securing’ borders
The order states: “Over the last four years, the United States has endured a large-scale invasion at an unprecedented level. Millions of illegal aliens from nations and regions all around the world successfully entered the United States where they are now residing, including potential terrorists, foreign spies, members of cartels, gangs, and violent transnational criminal organizations, and other hostile actors with malicious intent.”
The order calls upon the Federal Government to ‘act with urgency and strength’ to secure the border and ‘protect the American people from the disastrous effects of unlawful mass migration and resettlement’ including constructing ‘temporary and permanent physical barriers’ and deploying personnel.
‘Protecting American people against invasion’
The order accuses Biden’s administration of letting ‘millions of illegal aliens’ cross the borders.
“Many of these aliens unlawfully within the United States present significant threats to national security and public safety, committing vile and heinous acts against innocent Americans. Others are engaged in hostile activities, including espionage, economic espionage, and preparations for terror-related activities.” it says.
“Many have abused the generosity of the American people, and their presence in the United States has cost taxpayers billions of dollars at the Federal, State, and local levels.
“Enforcing our Nation’s immigration laws is critically important to the national security and public safety of the United States. The American people deserve a Federal Government that puts their interests first and a Government that understands its sacred obligation to prioritize the safety, security, and financial and economic well-being of Americans.”
The order calls for the Federal government to ‘act with urgency and strength’ when it comes to securing borders (John Moore/Getty Images)
‘Protecting the US from foreign terrorists’
The order seeks to tighten the ‘visa-issuance process’ to ‘ensure that those aliens approved for admission into the US do not intend to harm Americans’ or the ‘national interests’.
“More importantly, the United States must identify them before their admission or entry into the United States.”
‘Protecting the territorial integrity’ of the US
The order states plans to ‘seal the borders and maintain the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security of the United States by repelling forms of invasion including unlawful mass migration, narcotics trafficking, human smuggling and trafficking, and other criminal activities’.
Cartels named as ‘foreign terrorist organizations’
The order states: “It is the policy of the United States to ensure the total elimination of these organizations’ presence in the United States and their ability to threaten the territory, safety, and security of the United States through their extraterritorial command-and-control structures, thereby protecting the American people and the territorial integrity of the United States.”
United States foreign aid
US foreign development assistance will be paused for 90 days and no assistance will be given until ascertained that its ‘fully aligned with the foreign policy of the President of the US’ and is ‘aligned with American interests and in many cases antithetical to American values’.
Trump’s administration plans to name drug cartels as ‘foreign terrorist organizations’ (CHIP SOMODEVILLA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
‘America first policy’
The order’s purpose and policy states: “From this day forward, the foreign policy of the United States shall champion core American interests and always put America and American citizens first.
“As soon as practicable, the Secretary of State shall issue guidance bringing the Department of State’s policies, programs, personnel, and operations in line with an America First foreign policy, which puts America and its interests first.”
‘Restoring accountability to policy-influencing positions’ in federal workforce
The White House’s website states: “Article II of the United States Constitution vests the President with the sole and exclusive authority over the executive branch, including the authority to manage the Federal workforce to ensure effective execution of Federal law.
“A critical aspect of this executive function is the responsibility to maintain professionalism and accountability within the civil service.
“This accountability is sorely lacking today. “
Punishing ‘election interference’
The order accuses ’51 former intelligence officials’ of coordinating with ‘the Biden campaign’ to ‘issue a letter discrediting the reporting that President Joseph R. Biden’s son had abandoned his laptop at a computer repair business’.
It then lists a number of individuals, revoking ‘any current or active clearances’ and reinforced anyone who holds ‘government-issued security clearances should not use their clearance status to influence US elections’.
One order accuses ’51 former intelligence officials’ of coordinating with the ‘Biden campaign’ (MELINA MARA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
US leaving the World Health Organization (WHO)
The order accuses who of ‘mishandling’ the COVID-19 pandemic alongside ‘other global health crises’.
The executive order continues: “The WHO continues to demand unfairly onerous payments from the United States, far out of proportion with other countries’ assessed payments.
“China, with a population of 1.4 billion, has 300 percent of the population of the United States, yet contributes nearly 90 percent less to the WHO.”
Withdrawing US from Paris climate agreement
The executive order argues the US has ended up involved in ‘international agreements and initiatives that do not reflect [the] country’s values or [its] contributions to the pursuit of economic and environmental objectives’.
“Moreover, these agreements steer American taxpayer dollars to countries that do not require, or merit, financial assistance in the interests of the American people,” it states.
Subsequently, it states its intentions for The United States Ambassador to the United Nations [to] immediately submit formal written notification of the United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’.
Trump accused WHO of ‘mishandling’ Covid-19 (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
National energy emergency
The order accuses the ‘previous administration’ of having ‘driven [the] Nation into a national emergency, where a precariously inadequate and intermittent energy supply, and an increasingly unreliable grid,’ the US now ‘requi[ring] swift and decisive action’.
Assessments will look at transportation and infrastructure alongside endangered species and the nation’s energy supply and clean water act.
‘Unleashing American energy’
The order accuses ‘burdensome and ideologically motivated regulations’ of ‘imped[ing] the development of’ America’s ‘abundance of energy and natural resources’ and limiting ‘the generation of reliable and affordable electricity, reduced job creation, and inflicted high energy costs upon our citizens’.
“These high energy costs devastate American consumers by driving up the cost of transportation, heating, utilities, farming, and manufacturing, while weakening our national security,” it adds.
One order is about ‘restoring’ American ‘greatness’ (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
‘Department of Government Efficiency’
“This Executive Order establishes the Department of Government Efficiency to implement the President’s DOGE Agenda, by modernizing Federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity.”
‘Unleashing’ Alaska’s natural resources
The order plans to use Alaska’s ‘vast lands and resources’ for the benefit of the US, tapping into its ‘abundant’ supply of ‘energy, mineral, timber, and seafood’ to ‘raise the prosperity of our citizens while helping to enhance [the] Nation’s economic and national security for generations to come’ by creating ‘high-quality jobs’ and delivering ‘price relief’.
‘Restoring names that honor American greatness’
For example, the ‘renaming of Mount McKinley’ and the Gulf of America. The order states: “It is in the national interest to promote the extraordinary heritage of our Nation and ensure future generations of American citizens celebrate the legacy of our American heroes.
“The naming of our national treasures, including breathtaking natural wonders and historic works of art, should honor the contributions of visionary and patriotic Americans in our Nation’s rich past.”
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Featured Image Credit: Pool/Getty/Christopher Furlong/Getty
Topics: Donald Trump, US News, Celebrity
Hundreds of Tesla owners have hatched ‘plans’ out of ’embarrassment’ as the company’s CEO has been accused of making a ‘Nazi salute’ during Donald Trump’s inauguration rally.
Elon Musk is at the center of controversy after the billionaire tech mogul appeared to make a bizarre gesture during the president’s inauguration ceremony yesterday (January 20).
The SpaceX founder and Twitter owner was accused of doing a ‘Nazi salute’ while onstage at the Capitol One Arena, Washington.
The 53-year-old appeared to be excited by the idea of sending an American to Mars, during which he thumped his chest with his fist and shot his arm at a certain angle.
He commented: “Thank you for making it happen. Thank you, my heart goes out to you,” before turning back to the audience and repeating the move towards the American flag.
Dozens of viewers flooded social media with their thoughts on the matter, accusing Musk of making a ‘Sieg Heil’ as clear as day’ – and not only once, but twice.
Musk himself has addressed the comments on his Twitter account while the Anti-Defamation League claimed it was an ‘awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm’ as opposed to a ‘Nazi salute’.
However, it seems some of Musk’s customers have been left uncomfortable by the slip up.
Over on Reddit, thousands of Tesla owners have been debating how they feel about their vehicles after the incident, with the question posed by the OP: “Are you going to do anything about it?”
Customers claim they won’t buy a Tesla again (Christian Marquardt – Pool/Getty Images)
Some claimed the move had completely turned them off from ever investing in a Tesla, while several resigned to trying to flog them out of ’embarrassment’ to be seen driving them and said they never would have forked out had Musk pulled such a stunt before.
Others said they feel ‘stuck’ with their vehicle for now but vowed never to purchase another Tesla.
One user replied: “I’m stuck with my car for now but I won’t be buying another Tesla.”
Another added: “I don’t have the financial freedom to take a huge loss selling my vehicle. Instead, I simply won’t give Tesla any more money going forward, and my next vehicle upgrade will probably come sooner than it may have otherwise.”
While a third claimed: “I’m 100 percent buying an EV and 100 percent not a Tesla in the next 12 months before of Elon only… Would have probably bought a Tesla otherwise.”
The comments come as thousands report issues with the Tesla Cybertruck (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
The comments come as already Tesla’s brand value took a whopping $15,000,000,000 hit due to issues with the Cybertruck build and millions being recalled.
But Brand Finance CEO David Haigh also suggested Musk’s actions have played a part, too.
He said: “If you are buying electric vehicles, his persona is highly likely to impact your view of whether or not you want to buy one of his company’s cars, but that’s only one of many factors.”
UNILAD has contacted Tesla for comment.
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Featured Image Credit: ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images / Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images
Topics: Cars, Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Reddit, Technology, Tesla, US News
A January 6th rioter who was pardoned by Donald Trump upon his return to The White House has been shot dead by police at a traffic stop.
Soon after Trump was sworn back into office last week, he took steps to issue pardons to over 1,500 criminals involved in the Capitol Riots.
While one woman decided against taking the pardon, the majority of those involved with the events that took place on January 6 2021, have since been released.
Matthew Huttle was one of those to be freed after a misdemeanor charge linked to his involvement in the Capitol riot.
He was sentenced to six months behind bars and was released in July 2024, according to the Washington Post.
The rioter spent time in prison following January 6 (Department of Justice)
Huttle received clemency from Trump last week, but was involved in a police incident on Sunday (January 26) afternoon.
The 42-year-old was shot dead by a deputy officer during a traffic stop as they attempted to arrest him, according to state police.
A Jasper County Sheriff’s deputy pulled Huttle over on Indiana State Road 14 near the Pulaski County line before the altercation took place.
State police said in a press release: “An altercation took place between the suspect and the officer, which resulted in the officer firing his weapon and fatally wounding the suspect.”
Police say Huttle was armed.
Indiana State Police, who are leading the inquiries into the man’s death, have not detailed any further information as to why the man was shot and why officers were trying to arrest him in the first place.
Sheriff Patrick Williamson has revealed in a statement the deputy who shot and killed Huttle has been placed on paid administrative leave while the investigation takes place.
Matthew Huttle has been shot and killed (Department of Justice)
“Our condolences go out to the family of the deceased as any loss of life is traumatic to those that were close to Mr. Huttle,” he said.
Federal records claim Huttle ‘was at the forefront of violence when rioters overwhelmed and overran the police line on the West Front’ of the Capitol on January 6.
At the time of his sentencing, prosecutors said Huttle’s ‘only purpose of being at the Capitol was to record video to show possible government corruption’, as per the Washington Post.
“Huttle believes that the FBI was responsible for the Capitol riot and explained that he saw actors attacking the Capitol who appeared to have too much training to be civilians,” prosecutors added.
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Featured Image Credit: Department of Justice
Topics: Donald Trump, Politics, Crime, US News
Three days have passed since Elon Musk was accused of making a ‘Nazi salute’ on two separate occasions while addressing Trump supporters, and his estranged daughter has touched on the gesture.
On Monday (January 20), President Donald Trump was sworn into office for the second time and afterwards, during the rally at his inauguration, he spoke to his adoring fans.
Vivian Jenna Wilson has called out her estranged father Elon Musk after he addressed a crowd at President Donald Trump’s inauguration (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Of course, the world’s richest man was in attendance. Musk has been named, alongside the former Republican presidential candidate and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, as the head of a new Department of Government Efficiency.
Musk controversially made the gesture on stage at the inauguration, immediately after saying: “Thank you for making it happen. Thank you, my heart goes out to you.”
The billionaire has since denied this was his intention, and other defenders have argued he was doing a Roman salute, or was ‘giving his heart to the crowd’.
Taking to Instagram’s social media platform Threads, Musk’s transgender daughter Vivian Jenna Wilson, wrote: “I’m just gonna say let’s call a spade a f***ing spade. Especially if there were two spades done in succession based on the reaction of the first spade.”
After appearing to make a ‘Nazi salute’, he then repeated the gesture again.
Wilson also posted: “I don’t know why y’all are reacting with such vigor, I’m clearly only talking about card suits. I mean I have ADHD and this was CLEARLY just an accident that people happened to interpret to mean something other than just card suits.
Vivian Jenna Wilson indirectly slammed her estranged dad for his actions on Monday (Instagram/vivllainous)
“After all, there’s no proof I’m not just talking about card suits. Y’know… people assuming that I’m not just talking about card suits just goes to show how dishonest people/the media can be.”
Musk has since hit out at Wikipedia for comparing his gesture to a Nazi salute. Defending his actions, he wrote: “Since legacy media propaganda is considered a ‘valid’ source by Wikipedia, it naturally simply becomes an extension of legacy media propaganda!”
The page in question read: “Musk thumped his right hand over his heart, fingers spread wide, and then extended his right arm out, emphatically, at an upward angle, palm down and fingers together.
He then repeated the gesture to the crowd on his back. As he finished the gestures, he said to the crowd, ‘My heart goes out to you’.
“The gesture was viewed as a Nazi salute or Roman salute by many, including politicians Yolanda Díaz, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Jerry Nadler, as well as historian of fascism Ruth Ben-Ghiat.”
Despite the accusations against Musk, the Anti-Defamation League defended the South African billionaire.
In a statement on Twitter, the organization said: “It seems that [Musk] make an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute, but again, we appreciate that people on edge.”