On August 26th, US Republican presidential nominee and former president Donald Trump pledged to establish a Space National Guard if elected as the next US president in November. He made this announcement during a convention of the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUSA), where he stated, “The time has come to create a Space National Guard as the primary combat reserve for the Space Force.” His words were met with enthusiastic applause from the thousands of National Guard soldiers present.
In December 2019, the United States Space Force was officially established after being authorized by a US Congress bill and signed by then-President Trump. The Space Force integrates ongoing space operations conducted by the Air Force and other units into a single entity with a mission to safeguard US interests in space.
Trump emphasized, “The Space Force is the first new branch of the armed forces in over seventy years, and its establishment is one of my proudest achievements in my first term.”
The National Guard of the United States Army and Air Force are reserve forces under the command of each state and are governed by the respective governors. The US also has seven states with similar but distinct units to the National Guard called Naval Militias.
Currently, the US Congress is reviewing the proposed 480 legislation by the Department of Defense (DOD), which aims to bring units dedicated to space defense within the State National Guards under the jurisdiction of the Space Force instead of being part of the Air Force National Guard.
Trump, along with many lawmakers and governors, opposes this proposal by the Department of Defense. A group consisting of 85 bipartisan lawmakers from both chambers of Congress wrote to the heads of the military committees urging them to reject the proposal.
In May of this year, these lawmakers stated in an open letter, “It must be clear that when individuals join the National Guard, they are serving their country and community, and Congress should not abandon this model.”
In April, Governors Tim Walz of Minnesota and Phil Scott of Vermont, along with eight other governors, wrote to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin requesting the withdrawal of the proposal. These governors oppose the reorganization of the National Guard without consulting them, calling it a “discrimination against federal-state relations.”
They indicated in their letter that the lack of consultation on this matter was unexpected for governors nationwide and demanded the Department of Defense to withdraw the proposal and discuss the issue with them in accordance with federal law.
At the NGUSA convention, some officials supported the establishment of a Space National Guard rather than federalizing the existing space units within the National Guard.
An anonymous National Guard officer told the Epoch Times, “Many states are ready for this.” He expressed his support, stating, “I support it,” and further added, “I do not support the proposed 480 legislation.”
Another National Guard officer familiar with the proposal mentioned that establishing a “Space National Guard” would be cost-effective and help retain talent. He mentioned, “You just need to change the name affiliation from ‘Air Force National Guard’ to ‘Space National Guard’,” indicating that they would continue their current duties.
He emphasized, “It is crucial for us to retain the skill sets of Air Force National Guard members who execute space missions.” He pointed out that the ability to choose one’s residence is advantageous for Guard members, stating, “If you live in Colorado, you can stay in Colorado; if you live in Florida, you can stay in Florida and continue doing your job.”
A third officer told the Epoch Times that the National Guard is sometimes unfairly seen as resistant to change. He explained, “In recent years, we have undergone many changes. The main reason for opposing the 480 legislation is that it would set a precedent to shift control of National Guard members from states to the federal government.”
As part of the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, the House Armed Services Committee approved its version of the 480 legislation but with amendments requiring the consent of governors to transfer the Air Force National Guard to the US Space Force.
The Senate has yet to take action on its version of the bill.
The duties of the Air Force National Guard units in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, New York, Ohio, and Guam currently include executing space operations.
The space capabilities of the US Space Force include commanding and controlling military satellites, providing secure communications, weather and navigation services, issuing danger warnings to other armed forces, and tracking all satellites and space debris orbiting the Earth.
The Department of Defense website indicates that ground-based and space-based systems track global missile launches to prevent attacks.
The Epoch Times has requested a comment from the National Guard Association of the United States regarding the potential establishment of a Space National Guard.