President Donald Trump’s administration will still likely move Space Command from Colorado to Alabama despite recent optimism otherwise from U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Col.), according to U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn).
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.
Yet on July 31, 2023, President Joe Biden reversed the decision to locate Space Command headquarters in Huntsville and instead selected a location in Colorado.
Hickenlooper told Colorado Springs’s KRDO on Saturday that Space Command will likely stay in Colorado.
"Right now, Mr. Musk is doing everything he can to cut costs. So I think we're safe for now, just because to spend $2 billion and there's no way to move [Space Command Headquarters] without weakening right now, it's what they call full operating abilities," Hickenlooper told the outlet.
Hickenlooper told KRDO that moving Space Command to Huntsville would disrupt the current ecosystem in Colorado Springs and could leave upwards of 600 civilian jobs open. He didn't think all 1,100 people currently working in Space Command would leave if it moved.
"We would dramatically weaken our national security. And I think, you know, I don't think there's any question that that doesn't make sense. That's that's not me being a champion. Colorado. That's me being a champion of national security," Hickenlooper said.
Tuberville responded to Hickenlooper’s comments, telling 1819 News on Monday, “Sore losers’ opinions don’t change the fact that Huntsville is the best place for U.S. Space Command—not Colorado Springs.”
“Multiple investigations and reports over the last five years have confirmed this. Huntsville ranked number ONE out of 66 different locations on the basis of infrastructure, costs, mission capability, and the quality of the local community,” he added. “When I coached football, the team with the most points on the scoreboard at the end of the game was considered the winner. But the Biden administration couldn’t read a scoreboard, which is why they reversed plans to move SPACECOM to Huntsville in a purely political decision. Huntsville is already a leader when it comes to both space and defense, and it’s shameful that the Biden administration chose politics over what’s best for our national security.”
Tuberville continued, “As President Trump and Secretary Hegseth work to remove politics from the military and return to a merit-based system, I have no doubt that they will apply this same criterion to installation locations. I look forward to continuing my discussions with President Trump, Secretary Hegseth, and the incoming Air Force Secretary about the importance of immediately bringing U.S. SPACECOM to its rightful home in Alabama.”
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email caleb.taylor@1819News.com.
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