Trump wants a 'Space Force'

Donald Trump. — (Image credit: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)

While addressing Marines in San Diego on Tuesday, President Trump lavished praise on a military branch that does not yet exist: the Space Force.

"Space Force," he said. "We have the Air Force, we'll have the Space Force. We have the Army, the Navy. You know, I was saying it the other day ... maybe we need a new force. I was not really serious, then I said, 'What a great idea.' Maybe we'll have to do that. Think of that: Space Force!"

Trump didn't elaborate on what the Space Force would do, but Vox reports that some lawmakers have been toying with creating a new branch of the armed forces that would focus just on space missions. The Air Force oversees the missions now, but Republicans like Rep. Mike Rogers (Ala.) say a Space Force is necessary in order to stay ahead of Russia and China. The Air Force and Defense Secretary James Mattis are both against the idea. "The Pentagon is complicated enough," Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson said last year. "This will make it more complex, add more boxes to the organization chart."

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If being in the Space Force involves getting to take a break from Earth, though, expect a lot of sign-ups. Catherine Garcia

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.