Elected officials in Colorado are lobbying for Space Command headquarters to stay in Colorado Springs.
In January 2021, the Secretary of the Air Force identified the Redstone Arsenal site in Huntsville as the top choice for the Space Command headquarters. The recommendation for the site was then affirmed by the Inspector General's Office and the Government Accountability Office, both of which found that the Air Force had conducted an accurate analysis and Huntsville was the superior location.
However, on July 31, 2023, President Joe Biden reversed the decision to locate Space Command headquarters in Huntsville and instead selected a location in Colorado Springs.
Many Alabama lawmakers expect President-elect Donald Trump to reverse the decision and return Space Command to Huntsville once he takes office in 2025. However, Colorado officials oppose the move.
U.S. Rep.-elect Jeff Crank (R-Colo.) said while campaigning that keeping Space Command in Colorado Springs would be a top priority if he were elected.
"Americans want a strong military and national security, and that's why they overwhelmingly elected Donald Trump as our next President," Crank said in a statement to Colorado Newsline on Wednesday. "To maintain operational readiness, U.S. Space Command headquarters should remain at Peterson Space Force Base. When I am sworn into office in January, I'll work with our Colorado congressional delegation to protect our military assets."
U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) said in a statement to the outlet that Colorado Springs has already proved to be the best location for Space Command "because it's already at work here."
"Alabama couldn't win this fight on the merits so they're trying to get Trump to overrule our national security and cost taxpayers an enormous amount for the sake of a hometown win," Hickenlooper said in a statement. "We need leaders who fight for our national defense first, not just Huntsville's economy."
Eric Maruyama, a spokesperson for Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, said every member of Colorado's federal delegation, as well as military members, supports keeping Space Command in Colorado.
"Colorado is the rightful home of Space Command and any effort to move this critical command center would waste billions of taxpayer dollars while negatively impacting our mission readiness," Maruyama said in a statement to the outlet. "Governor Polis expects President-Elect Trump to put members of our armed services and our national security over politics. If he moves it when he takes office, Trump is only hurting America's national defense and our troops."
State Sen. Sam Givhan (R-Huntsville) said in an interview on Huntsville radio's WVNN's "The Dale Jackson Show" on Thursday he thought Trump would "honor his commitment" and move Space Command back to Huntsville.
"Trump said he was going to do it and hopefully we will get Space Command here. There are a lot of us that talk about it and are speaking of it almost as if it is a done deal. I think Trump honors his commitment there. Alabama and Huntsville specifically was clearly number one. They skipped over Alabama and three other red states to move it to the fifth-ranked state or location in Colorado Springs so it's pure politics at play there and I think Trump will unwind that," Givhan said.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email caleb.taylor@1819News.com.
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