Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser announced on Wednesday that he would sue the Trump administration, which authorized moving Space Command Headquarters from Colorado Springs to Huntsville, Alabama. Weiser has argued that the Trump administration’s move was made for political, rather than national security, reasons.
“This decision was not based on any formal criteria. It didn’t follow the statutorily required evaluation process, didn’t have any studies, reviews, or notice. It didn’t offer validation or justification,” said Weiser at a press conference on Wednesday. “Instead, President Trump stated that Colorado’s mail-in voting system played a major part for his decision or as he put it, ‘a big factor.’”
In September, the president announced that Space Command (SPACECOM) would relocate from Colorado Springs to Huntsville, Alabama—which has become known as “Rocket City” due to its early role in developing rocket and missile technology during the Cold War.
Weiser’s accusations appear to have some merit. Although Huntsville is home to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and the US Space and Rocket Center, Trump claimed when he announced the move, “The problem I have with Colorado, one of the big problems, they do mail-in voting … so they have automatically crooked elections.”
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It is the latest chapter in what is now a saga over the HQ for the 11th and newest combatant command, which was established on August 29, 2019.
SPACECOM achieved full operational capability nearly two years ago in December 2023. Until this past January, it was likely that it would remain in the Centennial State, where it had long been headquartered. Colorado lawmakers have argued that relocating SPACECOM to Alabama would disrupt readiness and operational capability.
However, after President Donald Trump returned to the White House, he made clear that the HQ would head to the Heart of Dixie. During Trump’s first term, he authorized Space Command to be based at the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville. That base was selected as the preferred final location for the command, edging out Kirtland Air Force Base (AFB) in New Mexico, Offutt AFB in Nebraska, Joint Base San Antonio in Texas, and Patrick Space Force Base in Florida, as well as SPACECOM’s interim location at Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs.
Almost immediately after it was announced that Huntsville was selected, there was pushback from lawmakers in Colorado and New Mexico.
During the Biden Administration, the decision was made for the HQ to remain in Colorado—a decision that was supported by multiple US military commanders, who also warned that uprooting the command would interfere with space operations.
Currently, about 64 percent of SPACECOM’s personnel are in Colorado.
“Keeping Space Command in Colorado is what’s best for national security, but the president made this decision,” Colorado Governor Jared Polis said in a statement after the announcement was made.
Polis is among the Colorado lawmakers clamoring to keep the base, highlighting the opportunities that the Centennial State offers to companies in the aerospace and defense sectors. That isn’t likely to change, even if—and more likely when—Spacecom moves to Huntsville.
“Colorado is home to one of the strongest aerospace and defense industries in the country, and I know that it will only continue to grow stronger—creating more jobs and economic growth for Coloradans,” added Polis.
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It is unclear if the lawsuit filed this week is a “moon shot” that could keep SPACECOM in Colorado, or a “Hail Mary” pass hoping for a miracle. Weiser has argued that Trump’s partisan motivations may make the move to Huntsville unconstitutional.
“The Constitution does not permit the Executive to punish or retaliate against States for lawfully exercising sovereign powers reserved for the States,” Weiser wrote in the filing.
However, the White House has since fired back, stating that it was the Biden administration that was playing politics by ordering Space Command to remain in Colorado Springs.
“President Trump chose Huntsville to house SPACECOM during his first term—it was Joe Biden who made the politically-motivated decision to relocate the headquarters to Colorado,” said White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly.
Kelly further suggested that relocating the HQ to Alabama is the “best situation to improve readiness and protect our national interests.”
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
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