Trump unveils Space Force uniform but rollout sparks instant backlash over huge problem
Donald Trump is shooting for the stars in his second term, and while many are afraid that the next world war will be kicking off here on Earth (if it hasn't already), the President of the United States might be looking to the cosmos.
Since being founded in 2019, there have been questions about what the sixth branch of the U.S. Armed Forces actually does, and although it operates under the Department of the Air Force, the clue is in the name when it comes to where Space Force's efforts are focused.
Donald Trump has become known for his sometimes controversial changes, like trying to build a wall across Mexico during his first presidency, or unveiling plans for a Golden Dome of defense in his second.
Many have compared him to the plot of Mike Judge's Idiocracy, but while that was a social satire movie from 2006, this is very much real life.
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With this, critics have balked at President Trump's redesigned Space Force uniforms, especially as they seemingly take influence from the National Socialist German Workers' Party.
Taking to social media, Trump showed off the 'next generation' design for Space Force uniforms, including black boots, charcoal trousers, and a tight-fitting zip-up jacket. More than being a bit drab, eyebrows were raised by a mention of a certain sci-fi movie.
The new uniforms are particularly "inspired by the discipline and functionality of the Starship Trooper uniform. Modernized for the guardians of the space domain."
We're not sure whether President Trump has seen Paul Verhoeven's 1997 movie.
Speaking to The Guardian in 2018, Verhoeven specifically explained how the military portrayed in Starship Troopers was inspired by the Nazis. Verhoeven himself grew up in Nazi-occupied Netherlands and even had Neil Patrick Harris arrive on the set in an SS uniform.
"Robert Heinlein’s original 1959 science-fiction novel was militaristic, if not fascistic. So I decided to make a movie about fascists who aren’t aware of their fascism," explained Verhoeven.
He continued: "I borrowed from Triumph of the Will in the parody propaganda reel that opens the film, too. I was using Riefenstahl to point out, or so I thought, that these heroes and heroines were straight out of Nazi propaganda. No one saw it at the time. I don’t know whether or not the actors realised – we never discussed it."
The fact that Trump has outwardly said the Space Force uniform has been inspired by Starship Troopers hasn't gone unnoticed, with one skeptic writing: "Inspired by the uniform from 'Starship Troopers'? Ummm... The government DOES know that was a parody of space fascism, right??"
Another added: "Trump’s stupidity in wanting to model the uniforms after Starship Troopers aside, how about saving us some money and just having them wear Air Force uniforms."
A third said: "I mean, if it wasn’t supposed to already look like the empire from Star Wars they hit the space Nazi theme on the head by citing Starship Troopers."
Not everyone was against it, with one supporter concluding: "No soft office cosplay. No apologizing for looking like a fighting force. China’s militarizing space. We’re still arguing online about whether America should even compete. Meanwhile Trump is out here making Guardians look like they actually intend to win. Good. Dress like the domain matters. Because it does."
Others have obviously compared the revamped Space Uniform to the villainous Imperial officers of Star Wars, and even if the image is generated by artificial intelligence, we've got to wonder who (if anyone) signed off on it before Trump pressed post.