Donald Trump Signs Space Force Directive, Declares Space a ‘War-Fighting Domain’

Space Force is one step closer to becoming a reality.

President Donald Trump signed a policy directive on Tuesday requiring the secretary of defense to create a separate Space Force within the United States military.

Trump said he was “thrilled” by the idea, pointing to space as the battleground of the future.

“It’s the future, it’s where we’re going, I suspect whether we like it or not,” he said.

Trump’s directive asked the Department of Defense to create a legislative proposal to create Space Force as the sixth branch of military defense.

“The Space Force will organize, equip, and train the next generation of warriors to deter aggression and defend the nation, our allies, and American interests against hostile actions in the form of space and taking place in space,” Trump said.

The president noted that America’s enemies were already creating technology to threaten the country from space, which he was determined to meet and surpass.

“That’s why my administration has recognized space as a war-fighting domain,” Trump said, calling the Space Force a priority for national security.

Congressional Democrats will likely oppose Trump’s directive as they are now in the majority, but the president expressed optimism that they would understand the importance of the effort.

Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan and Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson joined the president, as well as Admiral Jim Ellis Jr., the Chairman of the National Space Council Users’ Advisory Group.

The president first publicly floated the idea in March 2018, telling the military that a Space Force was essential to America’s defense going forward.

“Our service members will be vital to ensuring America continues to lead the way into the stars, we’re going to lead in Space,” he said at the time. “We’re way, way behind, but we’re catching up fast. So fast, nobody even believes it.”