Donald Trump Vows to Create ‘Space National Guard’

During remarks to the National Guard Association Monday afternoon, Donald Trump vowed to create a Space National Guard if elected to a second term.
The former president established the U.S. Space Force in December 2019, making it the newest branch of the U.S. Armed Forces and the first new military service since 1947. The Space Force operates under the Department of the Air Force, similar to how the Marine Corps is part of the Department of the Navy.
“One of my proudest achievements in my first term was to create Space Force, the first new branch of the Armed Forces in over 70 years…Now that Space Force is up and running, I agree with your leadership, who want this very badly, and I agree that the time has come to create a Space National Guard as the primary combat reserve of the U.S. Space Force,” Trump said to applause during his remarks in Detroit in front of thousands of officers, spouses and guests at the National Guard’s General Conference and Exhibition.
The Republican presidential nominee continued, “So as president, I will sign historic legislation to create a Space National Guard. Space Force has been very important, very, very important.”
Trump also said he spoke with Senator Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican, about the proposal. In January, Rubio and bipartisan colleagues reintroduced the Space National Guard Establishment Act of 2024 to establish a Space National Guard.
“Creating a Space National Guard would boost military readiness and efficiency. It would also ensure that the Space Force retains needed talent. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this common-sense bill,” Rubio wrote in a press release.
Senators Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) were all original co-sponsors.
Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung told Newsweek, “As President Trump said, we need to keep America safe from all threats.
On May 22, the House Armed Services Committee approved its version of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2025, including a legislative proposal to transfer space units in the Air National Guard to the Space Force. The proposal would override the requirement under federal law for state governors to consent to those transfers.
However, an amendment proposed by South Carolina Representative Joe Wilson was accepted, requiring gubernatorial consent for any transfers from the Air National Guard to the Space Force. Subsequently, on June 5, the Defense subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee advanced a Defense appropriations bill that prohibited transfers from the National Guard to the Space Force without gubernatorial consent.
Seven states—Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, New York, Arkansas and Ohio—already have National Guard space operations.
On June 18, in testimony before the Defense Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee, General Hokansen, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, told lawmakers, “We actually have a Space National Guard; we’re just not willing to admit it.”
A National Guard spokesperson pointed Newsweek to comments made in February by Hokanson during a press briefing on National Guard priorities for 2024.
“For me, personally, I’ve been very clear on my congressional testimony when asked my best military advice. I believe the establishment of a Space National Guard is the best use of our folks that have been doing this mission, in many cases, for over 25 years,” he replied to a question about the Space National Guard Establishment Act of 2024.
He continued, “Space is a very contested domain. Our nation needs every single capability we have. And so, speaking with the secretary of the Air Force and the chief of space operations, General (B. Chance) Salzman, my commitment is to make sure that those missions continue because our nation needs it and also to do everything we can to take care of our National Guard personnel, whatever that future is.”
Newsweek reached out to the Harris campaign, the Space Force and Air Force Public Affairs via email for comment.
The Space Force, which traces its origins back to military space programs created during the beginning of the Cold War, was officially formed four years ago in response to the growing recognition that space is a critical domain for national security. Its mission is to protect U.S. and allied interests in space, deter aggression and conduct space operations. As of fiscal year 2023, the Space Force has more than 14,000 military and civilian Guardians.
The Space Force consolidates various space-related functions across the Department of Defense into a unified service. This includes satellite acquisition, budget management and workforce organization.
Beyond its military role, the Space Force also plays a part in everyday civilian life. Space capabilities, such as satellite communications and GPS, are integral to global financial networks, international commerce and critical infrastructure systems. The Space Force seeks to ensure that these capabilities remain secure and accessible, safeguarding both national security and economic prosperity.
As potential adversaries develop more sophisticated threats to space assets, the Space Force plays a role in protecting and defending American interests in space.
China, for example, has added over 400 satellites in the past two years, of which more than half can track objects on Earth, Major General Gregory J. Gagnon, the Space Force’s deputy chief of space operations for intelligence, said at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies on May 2.
“They will now—in a way that we’re not comfortable talking about in America—they will be inside a rapidly expanding weapons engagement zone,” Gagnon added.
Gagnon explained that China can now track U.S. military assets even when mobile, challenging U.S. monopoly on long-range targeting. The data collected by China’s satellites can provide a precise location of military vessels on the move at sea, making their subsequent targeting during conflict easier.
“Few countries have that advantage,” Gagnon said.
Update 8/26/24, 4:54 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Update 8/26/24, 6:01 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.