{"id":20208,"date":"2018-11-29T20:59:30","date_gmt":"2018-11-29T20:59:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/11\/29\/white-house-is-considering-alternatives-to-an-independent-space-force\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T20:32:13","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T20:32:13","slug":"white-house-is-considering-alternatives-to-an-independent-space-force","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2018\/11\/29\/white-house-is-considering-alternatives-to-an-independent-space-force\/","title":{"rendered":"White House is considering alternatives to an independent Space Force"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The White House does not appear to be certain on how it will implement <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/space\/2018\/06\/18\/trump-orders-creation-of-independent-space-force\/\" target=\"_blank\">a new Space Force<\/a>, President Donald Trump\u2019s highly anticipated sixth branch of the military, and is still mulling the possibility of operating it <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/congress\/2018\/03\/14\/trump-touting-space-force-puts-air-force-in-awkward-spot\/\" target=\"_blank\">under the wings of the Air Force<\/a>, according to memos <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defenseone.com\/politics\/2018\/11\/white-house-seeks-alternatives-independent-space-force\/153119\/\" target=\"_blank\">reviewed by Defense One<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As recently as Oct. 26, the White House reportedly asked the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/space\/2018\/08\/09\/space-force-will-be-6th-military-branch-by-2020-vice-president-pence-announces\/\" target=_blank>Pentagon for its expertise<\/a> in the \u201corganizational construct to meet [the President\u2019s] intent\u201d and asked for alternative recommendations for the Space Force\u2019s structure \u2014 despite Trump touting it as an independent military branch in numerous statements and campaign speeches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the memo, White House officials solicited advice on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/digital-show-dailies\/air-force-association\/2018\/09\/19\/shanahan-downplays-disagreements-over-space-force-structure\/\" target=_blank>whether the U.S. military was \u201cbest served\u201d<\/a> if the Space Force remained separate from the other military branches.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/space\/2018\/10\/23\/pentagon-presents-recommendations-on-space-force-to-trump\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"158\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/space-force.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Pentagon presents recommendations on Space Force to Trump<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Vice President Mike Pence said he expects President Donald Trump to take the first steps to create a Space Force very soon.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The memo also cast doubt on Trump\u2019s numerous claims about the Space Force being completely independent by asking if \u201cthe new Space Force would be most effectively organized as a separate service within the Department of the Air Force,\u201d according to Defense One.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"943\" height=\"629\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Trump_Space-Force.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-42734\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Trump_Space-Force.jpg.jpg 943w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Trump_Space-Force.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Trump_Space-Force.jpg.jpg?resize=768,512 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 943px) 100vw, 943px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">WASHINGTON, DC &#8211; JUNE 18:  U.S. President Donald Trump holds up an executive order that he signed during a meeting of the National Space Council at the East Room of the White House June 18, 2018 in Washington, DC. President Trump signed an executive order to establish the Space Force, an independent and co-equal military branch, as the sixth branch of the U.S. armed forces.   (Photo by Alex Wong\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe are going to have the Air Force and we are going to have the Space Force; separate but equal,\u201d Trump said at a National Space Council meeting in June.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Defense officials have reportedly come up with several plans on how to implement a &#8220;distinct branch of the Armed Forces for Space.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These plans range from a space-focused corps under the Air Force\u2019s purview, to an independent Space Force that includes Air Force, Army, Navy and intelligence community assets, according to a defense official cited in the report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The possibility of creating a separate Space Corps under the Air Force \u2014 similar to how the Marine Corps and Navy operate, with one secretary overseeing both services \u2014 was previously proposed by Congress as part of its annual defense policy bill. The provision in the National Defense Authorization Act was later shot down in 2017 and 2018 \u2014 a result the White House has taken into account in asking the Pentagon for suggestions, military officials told Defense One.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/space\/2018\/08\/09\/think-space-force-is-a-joke-here-are-four-major-space-threats-to-take-seriously\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635666857716955277-dfn-italy-satellitejpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Think Space Force is a joke? Here are four major space threats to take seriously<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">While the merits of a new military organization dedicated to space are debatable, U.S. national security space systems are vulnerable to a wide array of threats.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The memo reportedly did not explicitly mention a Space Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The question of establishing an autonomous Space Force has divided many in the Defense Department and White House. While military experts generally agree that adversaries like China and Russia pose a threat to the U.S. in space, not all are convinced that an independent military branch devoted to space is the way to go. Some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/congress\/2018\/09\/18\/new-space-force-price-tag-fuels-skepticism-on-capitol-hill\/\" target=_blank>point to the potential cost<\/a> of an independent Space Force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1199\" height=\"629\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Space-launch_web.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-28999\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Space-launch_web.jpg.jpg 1199w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Space-launch_web.jpg.jpg?resize=300,157 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Space-launch_web.jpg.jpg?resize=768,403 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Space-launch_web.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,537 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1199px) 100vw, 1199px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">SpaceX launches a Falcon-9 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in September 2013. (Airman Yvonne Morales\/Air Force)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ALSO FROM BUSINESS INSIDER:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2666 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/trump-space-force-is-dumb-says-nasa-astronaut-2018-6\" target=_blank>Astronaut Mark Kelly says Trump\u2019s plan to create a Space Force \u2018is a dumb idea\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/the-us-led-coalition-is-bombing-afghanistan-at-record-levels-2018-11\" target=\"_blank\">\u2666 The U.S.-led coalition is bombing Afghanistan at record levels but it doesn\u2019t seem to be changing the war\u2019s deadly \u2018stalemate\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2666 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/trump-cancels-putin-meeting-over-russia-ukraine-black-sea-2018-11\" target=\"_blank\">Trump says he canceling a meeting with Putin because Russia is causing trouble in the Black Sea<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The White House does not appear to be certain on how it will implement a new Space Force, President Donald Trump\u2019s highly anticipated sixth branch of the military, and is still mulling the possibility of operating it under the wings of the Air Force.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":42731,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":67,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":{"2":{"categories":["your-military","news","left-column","home","middle-column"],"primary_category":"your-military"}}},"categories":[101,24,88,89,16,26,67],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3032],"class_list":["post-20208","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-home","category-left-column","category-middle-column","category-news","category-newsletters","category-your-air-force"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"MZI3JRP6MFEPBK4HM2RHDQD7PA","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/your-air-force\/2018\/11\/29\/white-house-is-considering-alternatives-to-an-independent-space-force\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented 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