This week, President Donald Trump was officially impeached by the U.S. House on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of justice — but this weekend, he’s focused on: the Space Force. The defense spending bill that he signed in recent days includes financial provisions for its creation, and although the literal more down-to-earth issues plaguing the United States stretch on and on, he rushed to tweet about the development. Perhaps he’s just desperate to launch some kind of distraction to the impeachment proceedings.
Along with the money, the new legislation apparently changed the name of the already in existence U.S. Air Force Space Command to the Space Force and assigned those in the previous command to the new military branch — although they’re also still in the Air Force, for now. Trump posted:
‘Last night I was so proud to have signed the largest Defense Bill ever. The very vital Space Force was created. New planes, ships, missiles, rockets and equipment of every kind, and all made right here in the USA. Additionally, we got Border Wall (being built) funding. Nice!’
Last night I was so proud to have signed the largest Defense Bill ever. The very vital Space Force was created. New planes, ships, missiles, rockets and equipment of every kind, and all made right here in the USA. Additionally, we got Border Wall (being built) funding. Nice!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2019
The administration only very recently broke ground on actual new physical barriers at the southern U.S. border. Despite previous claims of the president’s long sought southern border wall being well under construction, the vast majority of what had actually been done was simply replacing old fence.
In the Space Force’s case, the operation will now be an official new branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, with all of the associated benefits. Its leader — who for now is Air Force Gen. Jay Raymond — will be added to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, although the actual number of those assigned to the Space Force will indefinitely remain small in comparison to the other military branches. Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett, who will oversee the Space Force and whose agency will provide support, said that “Space Force is much more measured by the technology and the capabilities” — but all of what that actually means remains to be seen.
Check out Twitter’s response below…
