Trump signs defense bill establishing US Space Force

WASHINGTON

President Donald Trump signed an annual defense bill that includes the creation of a Space Force as the sixth branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, for fiscal year 2020 at a ceremony at Joint Base Andrews.

The NDAA authorizes a top-line budget of $738 billion.

"We will create a brand new American military service. With my signature today you will witness the birth of the Space Force," said Trump before signing. "There'll be a lot of things happening in space."

The initial announcement of a Space Force to protect America’s assets in space, including satellites the military depends on for defense and communications, came from Trump in June.

"With today’s signing I will proudly appoint Gen. Jay Raymond the first chief of space operations and he will become the very first member of the Space Force and he will be on the Joint Chiefs," Trump said.

Some 16,000 military and civilian personnel from the Air Force Space Command are expected to be assigned to the Space Force.

In August 2018, Vice President Mike Pence laid out the plans for the Space Force, calling the move "the next great chapter" in the history of U.S. Armed Forces.

He said the U.S. had to "prepare for the next battlefield.”

The bill cleared Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support; 86-8 in the Senate and 377-48 in the House of Representatives.