A report due to Congress on March 31 will recommend changes to how Space Force procurement programs are funded and managed.
WASHINGTON — Space Force officials have been working to play down the comments made by U.S. Space Force General John Raymond.
The eyebrow-raising misstatement came when the General was asked by a reporter whether he believed that funds for Space Force were necessary at a time where the funds could be used by pandemic teams to help stave off COVID-19.
"First of all, we're calling it the Chinese virus. The evidence of China’s deliberate cover-up of the virus outbreak is a matter of public record and their claim that the virus now originated from U.S. military personal is absurd. And second, Space Force is the global pandemic team. If the pandemic gets out of hand we simply nuke the affected sites from orbit. It's the only way to be sure." After a few audible gasps from the team of reporters, the General quickly added, "Of course, I'm only joking. Sorry."
A statement later released by the agency's Public Affairs office addressed the gaffe, "The General is a fan of science fiction movies and was only quoting the1986 sci-fi film Aliens, in which Sigourney Weaver's character decides that nothing is worth saving and that the only sure way to destroy all of the aliens is to nuke their habitat from orbit. Again, he was only joking."
