Trump marks establishment of U.S. Space Command
President Trump held a Rose Garden event to commemorate the establishment of the U.S. Space Command Thursday, as the president pushes for the creation of his sixth branch of the military, the Space Force.
Since the Space Force the president wants to create requires congressional authorization, the administration is establishing a U.S. Space Command that will draw from other parts of the armed forces. One "Space Command" already exists. The Air Force Space Command reports to STRATCOM, which reports to the Pentagon, just as the Pacific Command and the European Command do.
Mr. Trump is visibly fascinated by furthering the United States' role in space, emphasizing that doing so is key for national security. This move is an acknowledgment of the importance of space in military operations but is in essence a kind of rewiring of existing command arrangements.
The U.S. Space Command will be headed by Gen. John Raymond. The Trump administration submitted a proposal for the Space Force to Congress earlier this year.
David Martin contributed to this report.