White House press secretary Jen Psaki reaffirmed President Joe Biden’s respect for Space Force on Wednesday, after snubbing the military branch in a press briefing Tuesday.
“They absolutely have the full support of the Biden administration and we are not revisiting the decision to establish a Space Force,” Psaki said during the White House press briefing.
Reading from her press briefing binder, Psaki cited bipartisan support and the military’s emphasis on space security and defense.
She said President Biden would not attempt to end the Space Force, noting it would take an act of Congress to do so.
“Thousands of men and women proudly serve in the Space Force; As you know, it was established by Congress,” she said.
Psaki’s comments marked a stark reversal after she mocked a question about the future of the military branch under President Biden.
“Wow, Space Force. It’s the plane of today,” she replied Tuesday.
Psaki admitted during the briefing that she did not even know who was the point of contact for Space Force at the White House but said she would “see if we have any update on that.”
Her flippant tone toward Space Force sparked criticism from members of Congress, including Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL) who demanded Psaki apologize.
“Jen Psaki needs to immediately apologize to the men and women of the Space Force for this disgraceful comment,” he said.
Psaki did not apologize when given the opportunity at the briefing, but she referred to a tweet she sent out Tuesday night inviting press representatives to a future briefing.