Vice President Kamala Harris spoke to members of the United States Space Force on Monday, after reportedly receiving a briefing about the Space Force’s role in promoting national security going forward.
“Yesterday I received a briefing on the work of US Space Force and US Space Command and their work advancing our national security,” Harris tweeted on Tuesday. “We will continue to invest in our military space capabilities so they are able to protect our interests in space.”
Yesterday I received a briefing on the work of US Space Force and US Space Command and their work advancing our national security. We will continue to invest in our military space capabilities so they are able to protect our interests in space. pic.twitter.com/zbJWGswtk9
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) April 19, 2022
Harris also shared several photos taken as she gave remarks to Space Force members at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, along with the caption, “Our Administration is working to establish international rules and norms for space. Yesterday at Vandenberg Space Force Base, I announced a new commitment that will help promote peaceful and responsible behavior in space.”
Our Administration is working to establish international rules and norms for space. Yesterday at Vandenberg Space Force Base, I announced a new commitment that will help promote peaceful and responsible behavior in space. pic.twitter.com/OHtPmUkxxW
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) April 19, 2022
But by Wednesday, video of Harris’ comments had begun to circulate — and critics quickly noticed that her remarks did not appear to match her audience.
Does Kamala Harris think the Space Force doesn't know what space is…pic.twitter.com/CjEGLEHMvw
— Tommy Pigott (@TommyPigott) April 20, 2022
“I think everyone here recognizes how extraordinary space is,” Harris said. “Whether it is satellites that orbit the earth, humans that land on the moon, or telescopes that peer into the furthest reaches of the universe, space is exciting! It spurs our imaginations. And it forces us to ask big questions.”
Another tweet shared a longer clip of Harris’ remarks.
Kamala Harris, space expert and border novice. pic.twitter.com/MEUNXXQlEH
— Suburban Black Man 🇺🇸 (@goodblackdude) April 19, 2022
“Space, it affects us all,” the vice president continued. “And it connects us all. There are so many opportunities in space for our country and for all of humanity — from science, to commerce, to national security. All of you on this base know the importance of the space systems that you use and operate and how important they are for our national security.”
Critics immediately fired back at Harris, saying that she was talking to members of the U.S. Space Force as though they were young children.
“I would be lost without these deeply profound and valuable insights from Kamala Harris this time pontificating on SPACE,” columnist Rupa Subramanya replied in a tweet.
“Now she’s talking to members of the military like they’re 5-year-olds,” @NiceDeb added.
“When your book report on space is due and you didn’t do any of it …” @FiveTimesAugust tweeted.
This is not the first time that Harris has gotten into trouble while talking about space, either. She participated in a YouTube Kids original video on the subject, only for the news to break later that child actors had been hired to be a part of the project.
Kamala Harris has a YouTube Kids original coming out tomorrow for Space Week that highlights her role as head of the space council.
Here’s the trailer. pic.twitter.com/Svst971QLP— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) October 6, 2021
As The Daily Wire reported, one child’s father explained the situation: “This was a casting call, a very specific one where he had to write essentially a monologue about what he’s really passionate about and he wrote a monologue about the environment. The producer of the series came back to him and asked him to write three questions that he’d ask a very important person … after that, he had a live Zoom interview with the producer of the series and then he got the part.”