Biden Is Keeping Space Force

New military branch has full support of the administration, press secretary says
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 3, 2021 4:08 PM CST
Biden Is Keeping Space Force
In this May 15, 2020 photo, Chief Master Sgt. Roger Towberman displays his insignia during a presentation of the United States Space Force flag in the Oval Office.   (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

Space Force appears to be here to stay. The White House said Wednesday that President Biden—who has been dismantling much of Donald Trump's legacy—fully supports the new branch of the military. Press secretary Jen Psaki said the new administration has no plans to revisit Trump's decision to establish Space Force in Dec. 2019. "The desire for the Department of Defense to focus greater attention and resources on the growing security challenges in space has long been a bipartisan issue," she said, per Space.com.

Psaki noted that even if Biden wanted to get rid of Space Force, "it was established by Congress, and any other steps would actually have to be taken by Congress, not by the administration." Politico reports that GOP lawmakers slammed Psaki Tuesday after she seemed to dismiss the force, saying "Wow. Space Force. It's the plane of today," in response to a question, apparently comparing the query to an earlier one about the color of Air Force One. She later said she would welcome members of the Space Force team to visit the briefing room to talk about their work. Chief of Space Operations Gen. Jay Raymond said Wednesday that he is "very proud of the guardians in the Space Force" and would "welcome the opportunity" to discuss their mission. (More Space Force stories.)

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