Donald Trump boasts he is close to launching Space Force as he officially re-starts United States Space Command to fight in ‘the next war-fighting domain’
- Donald Trump took his first step toward his dream of establishing a Space Force by re-establishing a Space Command
- ‘Spacecom will defend America’s vital interests in space, the next war-fighting domain. I think that’s pretty obvious to everybody. It’s all about space,’ he said
- Space Command is different from the Space Force
- The Space Force will be a sixth branch of the military and needs congressional approval to be established
- But Space Command will actively employ assigned forces from each of the military services to accomplish directed missions in space
- Trump was actually re-establishing a government agency that eliminated in 2002 as part of the government’s post-9/11 reorganization
Donald Trump on Thursday took his first step toward his dream of establishing a Space Force by re-establishing a Space Command as part of his effort to defend American interests in space.
‘It’s a big deal. As the newest combatant command, Spacecom will defend America’s vital interests in space, the next war-fighting domain. I think that’s pretty obvious to everybody. It’s all about space,’ the president said in a Rose Garden ceremony.
Trump was actually re-establishing a government agency that eliminated in 2002 as part of the government’s post-9/11 reorganization.
Donald Trump took his first step toward his dream of establishing a Space Force by re-establishing a Space Command
Trump was joined by Defense Secretary Mark Esper and General Jay Raymond, who will command the Space Command
It’s part of the president’s push for a sixth branch of the military – the Space Force. But that requires congressional approval and lawmakers haven’t granted that yet.
‘Spacecom will be followed – very importantly – by the establishment of the United States Space Force as the sixth branch of the United States armed forces,’ Trump said.
‘That’s really something when you think about it. The Space Force will organize, train and equip warriors to support Spacecom’s mission. With today’s action, we open another great chapter in the extraordinary history of the United States military,’ he added.
While a Space Force would train and equip space forces, the Space Command will actively employ assigned forces from each of the military services to accomplish directed missions in space.
General John W. ‘Jay’ Raymond will lead the Space Command.
‘Our freedom to operate in space is also essential to detecting and destroying any missile launched against the United States. So just as we have recognized land, air, sea and cyber as vital war-fighting domains, we will now treat space as an independent region over seen by a new unified geographic combatant command,’ the president said.
Trump was joined at the Rose Garden signing ceremony by Raymond; Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who officially signed the Space Command back into existence; and Vice President Mike Pence, whom the president announced would take his place in Poland this weekend for a World War II anniversary ceremony.
Trump said he was staying behind to deal with Hurricane Dorian, which is expected to make landfall in Florida sometime Labor Day weekend.
The Space Command flag was also revealed – which shows the eagle from the seal of the United States above the planet Earth.
Congress is expected to take up Trump’s request for a Space Force – which would be a distinct service the way the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard are distinct services – when it returns to Washington D.C. in September.
The Space Force would be headed by a four-star general who would also be a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The Space Command flag was revealed
Defense Secretary Mark Esper formally signed the Space Command back in existence
Trump originally wanted a ‘separate but equal’ branch with his Space Force but, instead, it is expected to be a part of the Air Force, in the same way the Marine Corps is part of the Navy.
Esper has been a strong supporter of the president’s desire for the Space Force – which his predecessor, James Mattis, was hesitant to get behind.
‘The United States Space Command is the next crucial step towards the creation of an independent space force as an additional armed service,’ Esper said Wednesday at his first Pentagon briefing.