Biden to keep US Space Command in Colorado, reversing Trump decision

President Joe Biden has decided that the headquarters of US Space Command will remain in Colorado and not move to Alabama, two US officials told CNN on Monday, reversing a decision by then-President Donald Trump.

US Space Command, which is a joint command and separate from the US Space Force military branch, is currently housed in Colorado Springs, but the Air Force recommended near the end of Trump’s presidency that the command be moved to Huntsville, Alabama.

But Biden ultimately followed the advice of the head of Space Command, Gen. James Dickinson, who argued that the headquarters should remain in Colorado because the headquarters will be fully operational in August and moving it now would jeopardize military readiness, one official said.

The move is sure to anger Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, who is continuing a hold on senior military nominations that is now impacting more than 300 flag and general officers over the Pentagon’s abortion policy. Tuberville has been an outspoken proponent of moving SPACECOM to Alabama. But US officials have previously told CNN that they had concerns about Alabama’s reproductive health policies and what it would mean for servicemembers there if SPACECOM were moved to Huntsville.

The US official said that several issues factored into Biden’s decision, including “quality-of-life for servicemembers and families, including quality of schools and military housing.” But the official said “the most significant factor considered was impact to operational readiness to confront space-enabled threats during a critical time in this dynamic security environment.”

Huntsville is currently the home of the Army’s Redstone Arsenal, which includes the service’s Space and Missile Defense Command. Colorado Springs is home to Peterson Space Force Base, previously known as Peterson Air Force Base.

The Associated Press first reported the news Monday.

The decision sparked a fierce debate among lawmakers who demanded Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall decide where the permanent base would be. Current text of the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, which has not yet been passed into law, would require Kendall to submit a decision before the Air Force could access funds for construction on SPACECOM headquarters.

Tuberville has advocated for the move to Huntsville, saying it is “the best place” for SPACECOM. He also said in a video released in June that Biden was looking to “buy votes with our national security” by keeping the command in Colorado.

This story has been updated with additional developments.