President Donald Trump signed the 2020 Armed Forces Day Proclamation and unveiled the official flag of the Space Force, the newest branch of the armed forces.
“We’ve worked very hard on this and it’s so important from a defensive standpoint, from an offensive standpoint, from every standpoint there is,” Trump said.
“As you know, China, Russia, perhaps others, started off a lot sooner than us,” Trump added. “We should have started this a long time ago, but we’ve made up for it in spades. We have developed some of the most incredible weapons anyone’s ever seen. And it’s moving along very rapidly.”
Today I was presented with the brand new @SpaceForceDoD flag in the Oval Office. I will take Great Pride in displaying it at the @WhiteHouse! pic.twitter.com/S29tBFYlQY
To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 15, 2020
“We recognize that to combat the evolving threats of a 21st-century world, we must look to the newest warfighting domain and address malign activities in space. America’s leadership in space is unparalleled, and with the addition of the United States Space Force, we are now even better positioned to meet the evolving threats in this emerging frontier of technology, exploration, and discovery,” reads an official White House proclamation. “Approximately 16,000 military and civilian personnel have already been assigned to the Space Force, embarking on their mission to organize, train, and equip these new fighters responsible for protecting the United States and allied interests in the vast domain of space.”
But the president came under fire for suggesting that the Space Force has a new weapon that could overwhelm enemy defenses.
“We have, I call it the ‘super-duper missile.’ And I heard the other night [it’s] 17 times faster than what they have right now,” Trump said.
Today, the president said the words "super duper missile." pic.twitter.com/rMMFsfri5l
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) May 15, 2020
Criticism soon rained down on the president, with many scoffing at what they suggest amounts to little more than a distraction amid his response to the coronavirus pandemic.
In case you were wondering, yes, the "president" of the United States actually said the words "Super Duper Missile."
And yes, he's still in charge of the nuclear codes.
— BrooklynDad_Defiant!â˜®ï¸ (@mmpadellan) May 15, 2020
But, how is this super duper missile going to protect us from the greatest threat to Americans today, this teeny tiny virus? https://t.co/mhiM5TUgK8
— Khashoggi’s Ghost 🇺🇦🌻 (@UROCKlive1) May 15, 2020
What sort of government doesn’t have enough money to provide people with healthcare, but has money for a Star Trek rip-off space force???
— Stop Cop City (@JoshuaPHilll) May 15, 2020
A second wave may already be starting, but…. hey, look, Space Force, shiny ball, Super Duper Missile, look over here, Warp Speed vaccine, binders full of women with empty plans….. #TrumpHasNoPlan https://t.co/YqnDlbnAr0
— Derek Cressman (@DerekCressman) May 15, 2020
It’s still not clear what missile the president was describing.
Alan is a writer, editor, and news junkie based in New York.
