Donald Trump wants to develop a Space Force that will help defend the United States against foreign attacks while creating a “sixth branch” of the U.S. military complex.
Following the President’s announcement, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis attacked the creation of a new department at a time when the military is “focused on reducing overhead and integrating joint warfighting functions.”
Mattis isn’t alone in his attacks of the Space Force program. Scientist Neil DeGrasse Tyson has offered up an alternative meant to spark discussion among the #fakenews crowd.
On Monday, Tyson tweeted that he’s “okay with a US Space Force” but then offered an even better program.
I’m okay with a US Space Force. But what we need most is a Truth Force — one that defends against all enemies of accurate information, both foreign & domestic.
— Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) August 20, 2018
The 45th POTUS has made it clear that he believes any mainstream media source that disagrees or catches him in a blatant lie is “fake news” and Tyson thinks it’s time to end that assumption.
DeGrasse was quickly attacked for his idea:
https://twitter.com/Hyped4Sci/status/1031561197521436672
But he responded with a simple solution to start.
A good start: The National Academy of Sciences, which “…provides objective, science-based advice on critical issues affecting the nation."
— Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) August 20, 2018
His second tweet was a nice jab at Donald Trump’s administration which has proven repeatedly that its members share a shocking anti-science viewpoint that includes denying climate change and removing environmental protections that protect Americans from pollution.
@RogueNasa, the #resistance wing of NASA even chimed in:
We see what you did there……
— Rogue NASA (@RogueNASA) August 20, 2018
Sadly, a government entity that focuses on telling the truth would stand directly in the way of Donald Trump’s own daily messaging. The President has been caught spreading more than 4,500 lies and pieces of disinformation since taking office in January 2017.