SWEET HOME ALABAMA: WHY TRUMP COULD CHANGE THE SPACE COMMAND HEADQUARTERS LOCATION
Where should we put the U.S. Space Command headquarters you might be wondering. Well, it depends on who you ask. There were efforts to put the facility permanently in Alabama by then-President Donald Trump but a “permanent” decision by President Biden in 2023, decided to keep it in Colorado. Now, Trump is back and it’s believed that he will push to have the headquarters moved to Alabama again.
Trump May Move U.S. Space Command Headquarters to Alabama
Now that Trump is gearing up to be back for a second term as President, there are beliefs that he will overturn Biden’s decision to put the U.S. Space Command in Colorado permanently.
Trump wanted it in Alabama during his first term and despite Biden’s call to keep the facility at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, once again, a move to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, is garnering attention.
This all stems from Alabama Representative Mike Rogers, speaking on a radio station in Mobile on the subject of Trump reversing the decision while campaigning.
"I think you'll see in the first week that he's in office, he'll sign an executive order reversing Biden's directive, and we will start construction next year in Huntsville," said Rep. Mike Rogers.
U.S. Space Command Headquarters Decision
Trump already made a decision on the Space Command headquarters location, but not everyone was on board. It should come as no surprise that Colorado lawmakers disagreed with the move.
Colorado has a strong U.S. Air Force (USAF) and U.S. Space Force (USAF) presence.
Lawmakers were arguing that reports were needed to make sure that the selection of Alabama was made using accurate data and legitimacy.
While an inspector general probe found flaws in the process, they did find that the move to Alabama was a legitimate one.
On the other hand, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) would show a lack of “transparency and credibility,” with the group also finding the decision was influenced by an “appearance of bias.”
It should come as no surprise that once Biden moved the U.S. Space Command headquarters to Peterson SFB, where it has been on a temporary basis anyway, Rogers wanted new investigative reports done as well.
Politics as Usual
The debate over U.S. Space Command’s headquarters has left military families wondering what's next, as Colorado lawmakers worry that moving the base to Alabama could limit service members' reproductive rights due to the state's strict abortion laws.
Considering the amount of control Republicans have during the next Trump administration, complex politics from both parties still exist, but it could be difficult to prevent the move.
These issues underscore the broader political divide on military policy, space operations, and reproductive rights that continue to affect active duty and Veterans along with their families.
U.S. Space Command Headquarters Should Go Where It Makes the Most Sense for National Security
Although there are no easy solutions to any military decision, politics are the last reason the American Armed Forces should be making choices that affect national security.
Space above and the Earth below are getting more and more connected. Where we put our troops that are defending American interests in both should be an area that gives us an overall advantage to defend our nation.
It’s still too early to know for sure if Trump is going to move the U.S. Space Command headquarters location back to Alabama but if he does, it should be in the best interest of our nation, not because of a political move.
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