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Trump announces he's directing Pentagon to create 'space force' branch of military

President Trump announced the plans during a meeting with the National Space Council.
Credit: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI
US President Donald Trump speaks on immigration laws before the National Space Council meeting in the East Room of the White House on June 18, 2018 in Washington,DC. (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)

President Donald Trump is announcing that he is directing the Pentagon to create the 'Space Force' as an independent service branch.

Trump said Monday that "we are going to have the space force" which he deemed a "separate but equal" branch of the military.

Trump says the United States will "be the leader by far" in space and looks to revive the nation's flagging space program.

The president framed space as a national security issue, saying he does not want "China and Russia and other countries leading us."

Trump also vowed to soon return the United States to the moon and to reach Mars.

Trump was joined by Vice President Mike Pence, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, former astronaut Buzz Aldrin and members of his space council.

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