Talks have resumed that the permanent location for U.S. Space Command headquarters will be in Alabama.Rep. Robert Aderholt said he’s been told a possible announcement is coming from the White House on Tuesday afternoon. He said although it’s still too early to speculate, he believes it’s related to Space Command moving to Huntsville.The Rocket City was originally named the new location for headquarters during the first Trump administration. But that was stalled pending a national security investigation.In 2023, during the Biden administration, the location was changed to Colorado.Now the Trump administration is expected to reverse that decision after a review by the Defense Department inspector general could not determine why Colorado was chosen over Alabama.The inspector general’s report said this was in part due to a lack of access to senior defense officials during the Biden administration, when the review began.Aderholt says the move is a long time coming. “We knew that North Alabama is the great place to have that and it was determined by all the independent analysis that was done that North Alabama was the ideal spot for Space Command. So stay tuned.” Gov. Kay Ivey posted an optimistic clue on social media saying, “Space Command coming to Huntsville? Count on it. Huntsville was already chosen once before as the home for U.S. Space Command — and for good reason. I remain confident that Alabama is the right place for this mission to take root and thrive.”The location of U.S. Space Command has significant implications for the local economy, given the fast growth in national defense spending in space-based communications and defenses.In 2021, the Air Force identified Army Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, as the preferred location for the new U.S. Space Command due to cost and other factors. But a temporary headquarters had already been established in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and after multiple delays President Joe Biden announced it as the permanent headquarters.Alabama’s Republican congressional delegation accused the Biden administration of politicizing the decision. But Colorado, which has Republican and Democratic lawmakers, is home to many other Air Force and U.S. Space Force facilities.Earlier this year, Rep. Mike Rogers, an Alabama Republican who chairs the House Armed Services Committee, told a panel at Auburn University he expected the White House to reverse the decision.The location of Space Command would be one of many decisions that have swung back and forth between former President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump. The controversy over the basing decision began seven days before Trump’s first term expired, when his Air Force secretary announced Alabama would be home to Space Command, pending an environmental review.>> WVTM 13 ON-THE-GO: Download our app for freeThat review was completed about six months into Biden’s term and found no significant impact with hosting the command in Alabama. But the new administration did not act on the decision.Instead, a year later, the Biden White House said it was keeping the headquarters in Colorado Springs, citing the time that would be lost relocating staff and the headquarters to Huntsville.The report said interviews had been requested with Biden’s Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to understand why Huntsville was not named, but the Biden White House would only allow the interviews if administration lawyers were present. The inspector general rejected that condition, saying it could affect its unfettered access to information.
Talks have resumed that the permanent location for U.S. Space Command headquarters will be in Alabama.
Rep. Robert Aderholt said he’s been told a possible announcement is coming from the White House on Tuesday afternoon. He said although it’s still too early to speculate, he believes it’s related to Space Command moving to Huntsville.
The Rocket City was originally named the new location for headquarters during the first Trump administration. But that was stalled pending a national security investigation.
In 2023, during the Biden administration, the location was changed to Colorado.
Now the Trump administration is expected to reverse that decision after a review by the Defense Department inspector general could not determine why Colorado was chosen over Alabama.
The inspector general’s report said this was in part due to a lack of access to senior defense officials during the Biden administration, when the review began.
Aderholt says the move is a long time coming. “We knew that North Alabama is the great place to have that and it was determined by all the independent analysis that was done that North Alabama was the ideal spot for Space Command. So stay tuned.”
Gov. Kay Ivey posted an optimistic clue on social media saying, “Space Command coming to Huntsville? Count on it. Huntsville was already chosen once before as the home for U.S. Space Command — and for good reason. I remain confident that Alabama is the right place for this mission to take root and thrive.”
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The location of U.S. Space Command has significant implications for the local economy, given the fast growth in national defense spending in space-based communications and defenses.
In 2021, the Air Force identified Army Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, as the preferred location for the new U.S. Space Command due to cost and other factors. But a temporary headquarters had already been established in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and after multiple delays President Joe Biden announced it as the permanent headquarters.
Alabama’s Republican congressional delegation accused the Biden administration of politicizing the decision. But Colorado, which has Republican and Democratic lawmakers, is home to many other Air Force and U.S. Space Force facilities.
Earlier this year, Rep. Mike Rogers, an Alabama Republican who chairs the House Armed Services Committee, told a panel at Auburn University he expected the White House to reverse the decision.
The location of Space Command would be one of many decisions that have swung back and forth between former President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump.
The controversy over the basing decision began seven days before Trump’s first term expired, when his Air Force secretary announced Alabama would be home to Space Command, pending an environmental review.
>> WVTM 13 ON-THE-GO: Download our app for free
That review was completed about six months into Biden’s term and found no significant impact with hosting the command in Alabama. But the new administration did not act on the decision.
Instead, a year later, the Biden White House said it was keeping the headquarters in Colorado Springs, citing the time that would be lost relocating staff and the headquarters to Huntsville.
The report said interviews had been requested with Biden’s Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to understand why Huntsville was not named, but the Biden White House would only allow the interviews if administration lawyers were present. The inspector general rejected that condition, saying it could affect its unfettered access to information.