Trump approves plan to create Space Force and puts it under Air Force control

(Evan Vucci | AP Photo) President Donald Trump speaks during a signing event for "Space Policy Directive 4" in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, in Washington.Washington • President Donald Trump signed a policy directive Tuesday that laid out a framework for the Space Force he has long sought, but fell short of the vision he initially laid out for a new service that is “separate but equal” with the Air Force.

The directive would place the Space Force under the control of the Air Force Department in similar fashion to how the Navy Department oversees the Marine Corps, and marks a partial win for senior Air Force officials. They have argued that creating a separate…