Someone working for the US Space Force must be a Trekkie. Star Trek fans say a new logo is a direct ripoff of Star Trek's Starfleet Command logo.
President Donald Trump revealed the new logo for the Space Force on Friday via Twitter.
After consultation with our Great Military Leaders, designers, and others, I am pleased to present the new logo for the United States Space Force, the Sixth Branch of our Magnificent Military! pic.twitter.com/TC8pT4yHFT
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 24, 2020
"After consultation with our Great Military Leaders, designers, and others, I am pleased to present the new logo for the United States Space Force, the Sixth Branch of our Magnificent Military!" Trump tweeted.
As soon as it was posted, eagle-eyed Star Trek fans responded, pointing out the logo's similarities to the Starfleet Command logo. The arrow, the swirl around the arrow, the star background and text placement are almost identical.
The new Space Force logo is pretty much a straight up ripoff of the Starfleet Command logo. https://t.co/kONtG3GDbt pic.twitter.com/TuFcV3MSbJ
— Josh Rogin (@joshrogin) January 24, 2020
In the Star Trek universe, Starfleet is the uniformed space force maintained by the United Federation of Planets as the principal branch that conducts deep-space exploration, research, defense, peacekeeping and diplomacy.
As expected, Star Trek fans -- even Star Trek actor George Takei and Star Wars actor Mark Hamill -- had a few things to say about the new design.
"There is nothing sacred any more," tweeted George Takei, who later elaborated on the US Space Force in a Washington Post commentary titled "The Star Trek vision was hopeful. Trump's is the mirror image."
Tweeted Mark Hamill, "Just another Star Trek rerun."
"A whole lot of Trekkers with Starfleet bumper stickers are about to be charged with stolen valor," a user tweeted, while another fan tweeted, "Look it was inevitable and we could do worse than emulating Starfleet."
There is nothing sacred any more. pic.twitter.com/ubyy4OIZrp
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) January 24, 2020
I guess these didn't make the cut? pic.twitter.com/w3MA7U1G4T
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) January 24, 2020
#JustAnotherStakTrekRerun pic.twitter.com/ObI1aOOXOI
— Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) January 25, 2020
A whole lot of Trekkers with Starfleet bumper stickers are about to be charged with stolen valor. https://t.co/BUxztH3OKL
— Peter A. Shulman 📚 (@pashulman) January 24, 2020
Look it was inevitable and we could do worse than emulating Starfleet TBHhttps://t.co/9tXD0UUBdB
— Molly McKew (@MollyMcKew) January 24, 2020
The Starfleet logo is actually based on the Space Force logo because Starfleet won’t be founded until 2130
— Jack Posobiec🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) January 24, 2020
Retconning the birth of Starfleet is gonna take a LOT of work in the next Star Trek series. https://t.co/pHbJN19leU
— Daniel W. Drezner (@dandrezner) January 24, 2020
Donald Trump decided to rip off his Space Force logo from Gene Roddenberry and Star Trek, one day after everyone just watched Star Trek Picard and got reminded of what the Starfleet logo looks like.
— Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) January 24, 2020
Trump is the world's dumbest criminal, and it's not even close.
The Starfleet fascination among space types in the military isn't new; this was Space Command's logo, which immediately preceeded Space Force pic.twitter.com/Ap3y5gHEWD
— Kelsey D. Atherton (@AthertonKD) January 24, 2020
Starfleet called. They want their insignia back. pic.twitter.com/yDCrdjlCT0
— Hil.i.am (@hilaryluros) January 24, 2020
We'd like to be Starfleet but we're definitely the Cardassians
— oʇʇᴉɥɔɔǝʌ (@vecchitto) January 24, 2020
The United States Space Force Starfleet Command is making waves in the Universe! The Klingons have posted a reaction vid to the news. #StarTrek #StarTrekUniverse pic.twitter.com/5yOMjhJS4b
— HouseofM (@hofmcincy) January 24, 2020
The Space Force didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
On Jan. 17, the US Space Force was mocked for revealing designs of camouflage uniforms, which made Star Wars fans wonder if they were for soldiers headed to the forest planet of Endor.
USSF officially launched in December 2019, when Trump signed into law the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act.
Originally published Jan. 24, 4:06 p.m. PT.