Fact Check: Did the US Space Force take over the FAA and air traffic control?
WASHINGTON, DC: A shocking claim that the US Space Force has taken control of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is spreading on social media, raising fears of a military takeover and even World War III.
A viral Facebook post claimed that the Space Force transferred civilian air traffic control overnight, while accusing the media of hiding the truth.
Claim: US Space Force took over the FAA and its air traffic control systems
On November 5, a Facebook user shared a rumor claiming that President Donald Trump and tech entrepreneur Elon Musk were leading the country toward World War III.
The post expressed fear and warned people that the situation was not over, stating, "LOOKS LIKE TRUMP AND MUSK ARE STILL TRYING TO KILL US ALL WITH WW3!" It further claimed that the U.S. Space Force had taken control of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), declaring, "SPACE FORCE JUST TOOK OVER THE FAA. AIR TRAFFIC IS NOW MILITARY."
The post also alleged that the FAA's air traffic control system had been transferred to the US Space Force.
It claimed that the mainstream media was hiding the truth by describing the move as a "temporary integration" and a "national security precaution." The post accused the media of misleading the public, stating, "THEY ARE LYING TO YOU BECAUSE THE FAA WAS NEVER JUST ABOUT AIRPLANES."
Furthermore, the Facebook post claimed that at exactly 1:00 a.m. Eastern Time, control of every civilian air traffic control tower in the United States had been transferred to Space Force Command.
It also alleged that the transfer was signed at 11:47 pm the previous night and insisted, "It was not a budget decision. It was not a security review. It was a takeover."
Fact Check: The claim is false
The claim is false. According to responses from the US Air Force and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), there is no truth to the rumor.
An FAA spokesperson confirmed through an email that the claim was completely false. Similarly, a Space Force spokesperson also denied the allegation.
The US Space Force operates under the Department of the Air Force, but it remains a separate branch of the US Armed Forces.
Searches across Google, Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, and social media platforms found no credible news reports confirming that the Space Force had taken control of the FAA or its air traffic control systems.
Further research suggested that an X user, Mr. Pool (@looP_rM_3117211), was among the first to share the fabricated story on Monday. The post did not initially include the claim about World War III. Additionally, an analysis using the Pangram AI detection tool identified the post's text as entirely AI-generated. These findings further weaken the credibility of the rumor.
