Jacob Ogles
White House press secretary Jen Psaki made clear on Wednesday the U.S. Space Force has the full support of President Joe Biden.
“They absolutely have the full support of the Biden administration,” she said. ”We are not revisiting the decision to have a Space Force.”
The comments came a day after Psaki received significant flak from lawmakers in states with a significant space industry, including Florida. Psaki on Tuesday responded to a question on the military branch by saying, “Wow. Space force. It’s the plane of today,” a reference to a question earlier in the week about a new paint job for Air Force One.
Hours after the news conference, Psaki circled back on the top with a tweet.
“We look forward to the continuing work of Space Force and invite the members of the team to come visit us in the briefing room anytime to share an update on their important work,” she said.
Reporters pressed the issue on Wednesday, asking if Biden supported the continuing existence of the Space Force, which launched during former President Donald Trump’s administration and was considered a key legacy for the Republican commander in chief.
But Psaki said there’s nothing to worry about for the agency’s future, and said the growing security challenges involved with space travel have long been a bipartisan issue.
On Tuesday, Rep. Michael Waltz, a Space Coast Republican, tweeted “we need the professionals, United States Space Force, to keep Americans safe.”
Asked specific questions about the Artemis program to land a man and woman on the moon by 2024, Psaki demurred, saying while she had a personal interest in space she had not spoken with anybody on that particular mission.
But she said individuals from the Space Force in the near future would be made available to answer specific questions for reporters.
