Potential for a new military branch?

Does anyone know if the President of the US has the power to create a new branch of the military? Has this ever been done before? And if so, what is the process or rationale behind something like that? Just trying to understand the dynamics of our government better.

Indeed, creating a new branch of the military is a significant decision that involves multiple levels of government. While the U.S. President is the Commander-in-Chief and plays an essential role in this process, he/she cannot single-handedly create a new military branch. That requires an act of Congress.

This power is rooted in the U.S. Constitution, specifically Article I, Section 8, which gives Congress the power "To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years; To provide and maintain a Navy; To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces."

A recent example of creating a new military branch was the establishment of the U.S. Space Force under the Trump Administration in December 2019. The proposal for this new branch emerged from the recognition of space as a unique domain of military operations. It passed Congress as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for the fiscal year 2020 after extensive discussion and debate.

Once a new military branch is authorized by Congress, its implementation and organization details become the responsibility of the Department of Defense. This includes defining its roles, setting up its organizational structure, and determining its budgetary needs.

So, while the President plays an instrumental role in proposing or advocating for a new military branch, the process also involves extensive legislative and bureaucratic actions to become a reality.

I hope this provides an overview of the process!