Space Force just got a wardrobe upgrade, and the inspiration came from a movie that was busy making fun of fascism. Donald Trump revealed the U.S. Space Force’s new service dress uniforms over the weekend, showing off a sci-fi look featuring “space gray,” “midnight black,” knee-high leather boots, and shiny epaulettes.
The uniforms were explicitly described as “inspired by the discipline and functionality of the ‘Starship Trooper’ uniform.”
Borrowing from a movie that satirized militarism
Paul Verhoeven’s 1997 “Starship Troopers” is remembered for giant alien bugs, over-the-top military action, and uniforms that look like they escaped from a retro-futurist fever dream. But underneath all the explosions, the movie was deliberately satirical.
Verhoeven used the fictional military society to poke fun at fascism, propaganda, and blind devotion to militarism. Roger Ebert was particularly unimpressed, describing the movie as having “quasi-fascist militarism” while noting its satirical elements. His verdict was that “Starship Troopers” was essentially the opposite of the humanist spirit of Star Wars.
The uniforms are only the latest sci-fi callback
This isn’t exactly Space Force’s first flirtation with science fiction. When Trump unveiled the Space Force logo in 2019, “Star Trek” fans immediately noticed that it looked remarkably similar to the insignia worn by Starfleet officers.
The resemblance was so obvious that “Star Trek” legend George Takei weighed in, essentially suggesting that the source material deserved some credit. Then came the official name for Space Force personnel. In 2020, then-Vice President Mike Pence announced that members would be called “guardians.”
Marvel fans immediately raised an eyebrow. Because, well, “Guardians of the Galaxy” exists. Whether intentional or not, Space Force has developed a habit of drawing from Hollywood.
Now we have the uniforms
The new designs appear to be taking the sci-fi influence much further. The official description emphasizes discipline and functionality, while the actual look leans heavily into futuristic military aesthetics.
There’s the dark color palette, the tall leather boots, the epaulettes. The whole thing has the visual language of a fictional space military.
America created a military branch dedicated to space, gave its personnel a name that sounds like a Marvel team, gave its logo serious Star Trek energy, and is now dressing them like “Starship Troopers.” At this point, the only thing missing is a dramatic orchestral theme. What do you think of the new uniforms? Sci-fi masterpiece or cosplay with a government budget?