The U.S. has confirmed for the first time that it has deployed weapons in space. It's a remarkable revelation after previous warnings about countries such as Russia possibly weaponizing a global frontier long agreed in treaties to be used for only peaceful purposes.
Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told a conference Monday that the U.S. has fielded “on-orbit space control weapons” capable of defending against hostile action.
Meink didn't detail what the weapons were, how they work or if they were targeting other objects in space or on Earth.
The U.S. had warned two years ago that Russia was developing a new space-based, anti-satellite weapon, reflecting longstanding worries about space threats from Russia and China.
First lady Melania Trump, shown in an AP file photo above) is visiting northwestern North Carolina on Tuesday to talk to elementary school students, teachers and staff about how they're using technology in the classroom.
September 15, 2026
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