President Trump’s ‘Space Force’ Is Really Happening, And People Have Plenty To Say About It

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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!”

— 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:

Flint still doesn't have clean water.

— Tim Dickinson (@7im) August 9, 2018

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

— Spencer Ackerman (@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 $150

someone 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:

— Colin Hanks (@ColinHanks) August 9, 2018

All you libs are going to look like assholes when we're invaded by Klingons in 2031 and Trump's Space Force saves us.

— Ian Millhiser (@imillhiser) August 9, 2018

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

-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

"vice president announces space force" seems like one of those fake headlines you see in a movie

— Space Force Commander Haley Byrd (@byrdinator) August 9, 2018

“space force” sounds like a big 12 offensive scheme

— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) August 9, 2018

Already Space Force is working on a project where they'll torture people by making them watch bad movies alongside some wisecracking robots.

— Who funds the Federalist (@BobbyBigWheel) August 9, 2018

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.

— OhNoSheTwitnt (@OhNoSheTwitnt) August 9, 2018

How to talk to your cat about Space Force: pic.twitter.com/opmhmOqyaT

— Bess Kalb (@bessbell) August 9, 2018

"Today I announce the formation of Fat Force. It's like Space Force but just for fat people. We'll drive motorized scooters around grocery stores and visit various restaurants. Our goal is world domination."

-President Isaac, Fat Force

— Isaac (@WorldofIsaac) August 9, 2018