The chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, says American forces need to prepare for combat not only in Earth’s orbit but also around the Moon. He makes the remarks as the Trump administration frames space as an emerging area of conflict and capability.
Multiple outlets report that Caine speaks at the Air, Space and Cyber Conference outside Washington. He urges the military to adapt so it can “prepare to fight, endure and win,” using language that spans “the seabed to cislunar space.” Several reports also connect the comments to the U.S. revealing that it has deployed weapons in space for the first time.
While most coverage focuses on Caine’s call to expand readiness beyond near-Earth space, some outlets add wider context about strategic competition. The Independent, for example, highlights that China has created a dedicated military space unit, linking the U.S. position to broader trends in space-related defense planning. Overall, the accounts align on the central claim: U.S. troops should be ready for potential fighting around the Moon and other cislunar areas.
