Potential Reelection of Trump may Renew Strife Regarding Space Command's Headquarters Location
Potential Reelection of Trump may Renew Strife Regarding Space Command's Headquarters Location
Despite a prolonged fight that saw the U.S. Space Command ultimately settle in Colorado, there's a chance it could move back to Alabama under President Trump's upcoming term.
According to predictions, President-elect Trump intends to shift the Space Command's headquarters to Huntsville, Alabama. This was an initial plan during his first term that was later scrapped by President Biden, mainly due to concerns about Alabama's strict anti-abortion laws. Mike Rogers, an Alabama Republican and the chair of the House Armed Services Committee, was quoted in a Politico report saying, "Trump's gonna be there. He's going to enforce what the secretary of the Air Force said under his administration and the secretary of the Air Force said under Biden's administration." Rogers further added, "Huntsville won the competition... and that's where it should be and that's where he's going to build it."
However, Colorado lawmakers are preparing to challenge the decision to relocate the Space Command to Alabama under Trump's new term. U.S. Representative-elect Jeff Crank, a Republican from Colorado Springs, stated to The Denver Post, "If it's down to military value, Colorado is the place for it to be." Crank argued, "If [Trump] wants to build out the Space Force and Space Command and have it meet the national security moment and our threats, then he will keep it here."
In December 2022, the Biden administration directed the U.S. Air Force to review a decision made by Trump to relocate the Space Command headquarters from Colorado to Alabama. Biden's intention was to potentially annul that decision due to concerns over Alabama's restrictive abortion laws.
Biden's decision led to a lengthy dispute over the rightful location for the U.S. Space Command. In response, Alabama lawmakers resorted to limiting the Air Force's budget to pressure the administration. In June 2023, Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and an Alabama representative, presented a bill that would restrict funding for the construction of the Space Command's current facilities in Colorado while also limiting funds for the Air Force.
In August 2023, President Biden managed to undo Trump's decision, much to the dismay of Alabama officials. Alabama Republican Dale Strong issued a statement criticizing Biden's move, arguing that the administration was "neglecting what is best for our nation's security and is instead using their left-leaning agenda to make this decision."
With Trump set to return to office in January, officials expect him to reverse Biden's decision and move the Space Command headquarters to Alabama. This back-and-forth is likely to hinder the Space Command's recent attempts to fully operationalize.
Trump founded the U.S. Space Command in 2019 during his first term as president. The U.S. had a Space Command from 1985 to 2002, when it was dismantled by former President George W. Bush, and its duties were transferred to the U.S. Strategic Command.
Although they may appear similar, the Space Command and Space Force are distinct entities. The Space Command, part of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), is responsible for conducting "operations in, from, and to space to deter conflict, and if necessary, defeat aggression, deliver space combat power for the joint/combined force, and defend U.S. vital interests with allies and partners," according to the DOD. In contrast, the Space Force is a separate military branch responsible for organizing, training, and equipping space forces to protect U.S. and allied interests in space.
Trump had also pledged to establish a Space National Guard during his second term as president, a move that the Biden administration considered unnecessary and costly. The upcoming president could potentially sway lawmakers in favor of the Space National Guard, reigniting the dispute between Alabama and Colorado over the Space Command's headquarters.
The potential establishment of a Space National Guard by President Trump during his second term could further complicate the ongoing dispute over the U.S. Space Command's headquarters between Alabama and Colorado. In the future, advancements in space technology and science under the Space Command could lead to significant breakthroughs in our understanding of the universe.