Elon Musk has sparked controversy after calling a famous astronaut an "idiot" following "ridiculous" comments made over two Nasa astronauts stranded in space.

The SpaceX CEO said Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were "left" in space for political reasons during a pre-recorded interview with Donald Trump on Fox News.

He alleged he was working to "accelerate" the return of the pair from the International Space Station at Trump's "instruction".

Musk, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the Trump administration, claimed their return had been "postponed to a ridiculous degree".

Butch Wilmore, 61, and Suni Williams, 58, departed for the International Space Station in JuneGETTY

During the interview, Trump blamed former President Joe Biden, stating: "They got left in space".

Danish astronaut Andreas Mogensen shared a clip of the Fox News interview on X, denouncing Musk's claims as a "lie".

"What a lie. And from someone who complains about lack of honesty from the mainstream media," Mogensen wrote.

Musk responded by calling Mogensen an "idiot" and insisted SpaceX could have returned the astronauts months ago.

Musk, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the Trump administration, claimed their return had been 'postponed to a ridiculous degree'

"I OFFERED THIS DIRECTLY to the Biden administration and they refused. Return WAS pushed back for political reasons. Idiot," Musk wrote.

Mogensen responded with a measured rebuttal, noting his previous admiration for Musk's accomplishments at SpaceX and Tesla.

"You know as well as I do, that Butch and Suni are returning with Crew-9, as has been the plan since last September," the astronaut explained.

He further pointed out that Musk was not sending a rescue mission, stating: "Even now, you are not sending up a rescue ship to bring them home."

The exchange ended after Mogensen's response, with no further replies from Musk.

Danish astronaut Andreas Mogensen shared a clip of the Fox News interview on X, denouncing Musk's claims as a 'lie'

They departed for the International Space Station in JuneGETTY

Wilmore and Williams have been aboard the ISS since June 2024, with their mission originally planned to last just eight days.

Their extended stay was caused by problems with their Boeing Starliner spacecraft.

The astronauts must wait for their replacements to arrive before returning to Earth.

A planned December launch of their relief crew on a SpaceX capsule was delayed, further extending their time in space.

The astronauts are expected to return to Earth next month.