Donald Trump has been mocked over his new design for Space Force uniforms, with social media users comparing them to the costumes worn by sci-fi villains – and even Nazis.
The president raised eyebrows Sunday after posting a graphic of a “next generation” design for Space Force uniforms that includes a sleek, charcoal-colored collared jacket and pants with a black belt, black boots and a matching cap. There’s also the Space Force Delta symbol on the collar, sleeve patch, belt buckle and the front of the cap.
The graphic says the design is “inspired by the discipline and functionality of the Starship Trooper uniform. Modernized for the guardians of the space domain.”
Starship Troopers is a 1997 space epic — directed by Paul Verhoeven, who grew up in Nazi-occupied Netherlands — about a future Earth governed by a fascist regime that wages war against giant alien bugs. Some social media users picked up on the inspiration behind the uniforms, while others compared them to other space films.
“Designing the Space Force uniforms to look like the evil bad guys from Star Wars, who are led by an elderly, power hungry tyrant, who lose, repeatedly, is a bit too on brand, no?” healthcare advocate Melanie D'Arrigo wrote on X.
An independent military history author who goes by ChrisO_wiki shared a GIF of a scene from the 1987 Star Wars parody film Spaceballs, and wrote, “Ah yes, I see the source of inspiration for this uniform.”
“This is the kind of design costume designers make to tell you who are the bad guys in a space movie,” menswear writer Derek Guy posted.
Speaking on Starship Troopers, Jonah Goldberg, the editor-in-chief at The Dispatch, a digital media company focused on politics and culture, said, “My concern is whether these guys understand the point Verhoeven intended in Starship Troopers.
“The thing is I don’t know what would be worse: whether they got it or didn’t.”
A political X account that goes by Wu Tang is for the Children sarcastically wrote, “No Nazi vibes here.”
Several conservative voices also chimed in, noting the similarity to Star Wars uniforms.
Christian broadcaster Erick Erickson called the uniforms, “A cross between Star Trek in the symbols and Imperial Forces from Star Wars.”
Jennifer Zilla, who identifies as a “conservative critic,” said she was “entirely on board with Space Force and the new Space Academy coming and everything we’re doing in space and President Trump.”
But she admitted that the new design was “the uniform of the Imperial Army from Star Wars.”
“Aka the people Darth Vader works for. Emperor Palpatine’s people. I’m not saying don’t use it I’m just pointing out that’s what it is,” she wrote.
It’s unclear if Trump will actually push to change the design of Space Force uniforms or if the graphic was just part of one of his regular social media sprees.
The Independent has reached out to the Space Force and White House for comment.
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