US troops must prepare to fight around the moon, Trump’s top military adviser says

General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has warned that American troops must prepare to fight in orbit around the moon, following the US military's recent deployment of weapons in space. This forward-looking stance comes as the newest branch of the US military, the Space Force, readies itself to defend US interests in space and cislunar space - the area between Earth's orbit and the moon.

Lieutenant General Gregory Gagnon, head of the Space Force's Combat Forces Command, said the intelligence community has confirmed that potential adversaries, particularly China, are actively seeking to extend warfare into space. While the US has not explicitly committed to using conventional weapons like bullets or projectiles in space, Gagnon emphasized that the US is investing in defensive capabilities to deter potential threats.

The Space Force's growth over the next five years is anticipated to reach approximately 25,000 service members, with a significant portion dedicated to the Combat Forces Command. Despite the US's commitment to the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which prohibits the militarisation of space, Gagnon reiterated that US military policies will continue to execute safe and responsible space operations.