Last March, President Donald Trump told U.S. Marines that his administration was looking into creating a new military division. “We’re doing a tremendous amount of work in space, and I said, maybe we need a new force,” he spitballed from the podium. “We’ll call it the ‘Space Force.'” Unsurprisingly, his use of the words “space” and “force” together in the same phrase generated plenty of criticism, serious and otherwise, online and elsewhere. Five months later, however, Vice President Mike Pence addressed top military brass and reporters at the Pentagon, confirming Trump’s prior quips were now official policy.
“Just as we’ve done in ages past, the United States will meet the emerging threats on this new battlefield,” Pence declared. “The time has come to establish the United States Space Force.” So yes, the “United States Space Force” is literally going to be a thing, and no, this is not the beginning of an in-production summer blockbuster competing for the Academy’s new controversial popular film category. The president even confirmed Pence’s talking points on Twitter, saying — in true Trump fashion — “Space Force all the way!”
Space Force all the way!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 9, 2018
Welcome to a reality in which the U.S. Military will now be funneling taxpayer dollars into a new branch specifically intent on defending America’s interests against any and all possible space-born threats, terrestrial and otherwise. Most people are understandably rattled by the declaration, seeing as how it will be spending money that could otherwise go to healthcare, emergency crises or other notable causes:
https://twitter.com/7im/status/1027594074205769729
On the one hand, Space Force is a foolish idea that solves no actual problems, but on the other hand, it's a great way to transfer taxpayer money to defense contractors
— @attackerman.bsky.social (@attackerman) August 9, 2018
Also, for everyone going "the cost of Space Force is/would be a fraction of what we spend on health care!"
a) Oh, you sweet summer children
b) Yes, let's reduce healthcare expenditures! You know, something like Medicare for all would save trillions…
— John Scalzi (@scalzi) August 9, 2018
Food $200
Data $150
Rent $800
Space Force $3,000,000,000
Utility $150someone who is good at the economy please help me budget this. my family is dying
— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) August 9, 2018
JESUS: No drinking water in Flint. Quench the thirsty.
PENCE: [rolls eyes]
JESUS: Millions without healthcare. Cure the sick.
PENCE: [rolls eyes]
JESUS: 1,427 dead in P Rico. Comfort the living
PENCE: What if we spend all that $ on a Space Force instead?
JESUS: [rolls eyes]
— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@BettyBowers) August 9, 2018
Others have jokes:
"Space Force" Space as in we are going to be in space. Force, as in we’re a force to be reckoned with.
— Colin Hanks (@ColinHanks) August 9, 2018
https://twitter.com/imillhiser/status/1027589483116601345
Space Force is run by Bud Bloverson, the King of Ceramic Tile, who suggested it over chili dogs at the Mar-a-Lago clubhouse.
— pourmecoffee (@pourmecoffee) August 9, 2018
Timeline of Space Force
-Space Force
-Crushingly bad prequels to Space Force
-Long-awaited sequel to Space Force that is pretty much a copy of the original
-Another sequel to Space Force. Infuriates grown men who live in parents’ basements. Twitter becomes unusable for years.
— Daniel Lin (@danwlin) August 9, 2018
https://twitter.com/byrdinator/status/1027577156333916160
“space force” sounds like a big 12 offensive scheme
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) August 9, 2018
https://twitter.com/BobbyBigWheel/status/1027608617040732166
Space Force sounds like something they’d call Star Wars on Law & Order SVU because they can’t say Star Wars like how they made up social media sites called MySite and Facespace.
— The Volatile Mermaid (@OhNoSheTwitnt) August 9, 2018
How to talk to your cat about Space Force: pic.twitter.com/opmhmOqyaT
— Bess Kalb (@bessbell) August 9, 2018
https://twitter.com/WorldofIsaac/status/1027608301826134016
(Via Washington Post)