Hello, and welcome to one hell of a Tuesday. Along with firing his secretary of state and stating that the US needs a border wall because immigrants are like "professional mountain climbers," President Donald Trump also announced that he was creating a "space force."
"My new national strategy for space recognizes that space is a war fighting domain just like the land, air and sea," Trump said. He also entertains the idea of adding a new military branch, calling it the "Space Force." https://t.co/IECzRamgz4 https://t.co/bUlC1zaOFS
“My new national strategy for space recognizes that space is a war-fighting domain, just like the land, air, and sea,” Trump said during a speech at California's Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. “We have the Air Force. We will have a space force. … We will call it the 'Space Force.'”
“We are spending a lot and we have a lot of private money coming in,” he continued. “We are going to protect people all over the world.”
Trump: “We should have a new force called the Space Force. It’s like the Army and the Navy, but for space, because we’re spending a lot of money on space.” https://t.co/p7YVX6gecz
Apparently we are also now going to Mars “very soon.”
"Very soon we're going to Mars," Trump says, as U.S. ramps up efforts for space travel. https://t.co/IECzRamgz4
Right, so...people did a bit of a double take. Raised some eyebrows. Had some questions.
@christinawilkie
Trump talked about invading Space today. Yeah.
“I take a nap and wake up to hear that Trump wants to militarize space”
I take a nap and wake up to hear that Trump wants to militarize space -
Like maybe the president got confused?
Wait,Trump's in LA - is there a chance someone showed him the Buzz Lightyear ride and he assumed that meant we're spending a lot of money on space?
Many pointed out that perhaps he was referring to the proposed “Space Corps,” which would fund military operations in space. That idea is not new and also hasn't gone very far.
The United States does not have a "Space Force" yet, but legislation by @RepMikeRogers proposed a "Space Corps" last year. Also, the U.S. Space Command is a thing. https://t.co/GdWYpWCcFt https://t.co/gyhPFJnsU0
“Wait until Trump learns there's an active Air Force program called the Space Fence.”
Wait until Trump learns there’s an active Air Force program called the Space Fence.
Regardless, Trump was pretty excited about his Space Force idea.
TRUMP PROPOSES “SPACE FORCE!”
Because who doesn't love watching forces battle in space.
"My favorite characters are Han Solo, Chewie and R2-Robot. I wish I was in STAR WARS it is my favorite film. -- Donny, age 7" https://t.co/aXkmO5lfn1
And people were actually very here for the idea of a fleet of new Space Forcers battling above Earth in the name of America.
#SpaceForce
enlisting for the space force
They referenced those other honorable Space Forcers who fought so bravely in a galaxy far, far away.
this is my friend, he died fighting with the space force, please retweet to show respect to the troops and honor his memory https://t.co/WKjOfbnVDC
"Sign me up to be a Trump Space Marine," someone said.
Hell yeah baybee, sign me up to be a Trump Space Marine https://t.co/vHjBPzEjrr
Others wondered how the US would train these new space cadets.
@CBSNews So are we going to have space cadets attending the trump college.
And who would lead them.
Trump: Space force will be commanded by a special friend of mine, really talented, Buzz... Reporters: Aldrin? Trump: No, Lightyear https://t.co/ytvDegXJqj
For many, though, former astronaut Buzz Aldrin's face watching Trump talk about space last summer very much summed up their feelings about a new militarized US Space Force.
Buzz Aldrin's reaction to Trump's space speech is priceless
Especially since we are all going to die anyway, per Sweet Meteor O'Death.
I laugh at your puny “Space Force”