Trump Orders Creation Of US Space Force
By RFE RL
(RFE/RL) — U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the creation of a new U.S. military branch that he says will ensure “American dominance in space.”
Trump unveiled the initiative at a June 18 White House meeting attended by former astronauts and heads of U.S. aerospace companies.
He said U.S. policy in space is a national security issue, adding that he did not want “China and Russia and other countries leading us.”
“When it comes to defending America, it is not enough to merely have an American presence in space,” Trump said in televised remarks. “We must have American dominance in space.”
No details about timing, cost, or composition of the force were released, although Congress was expected to have to pass legislation authorizing a new military branch.
