Biden keeps U.S. Space Command in Colorado, reversing Trump move to Alabama
President Biden has decided to keep U.S. Space Command's headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado, reversing a January 2021 decision by former President Donald Trump to move the command to Huntsville, Alabama, the White House said Monday. Trump had elevated U.S. Space Command to its own four-star combatant command in 2019, and Colorado Springs, its temporary home, had been the frontrunner for the permanent headquarters until the final days for Trump's presidency.
When Biden took office, he placed the move to Huntsville on pause to review the decision. Keeping U.S. Space Command headquarters in Colorado Springs "ultimately ensures peak readiness in the space domain for our nation during a critical period," Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said Monday. He added that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, and Space Command head Gen. James Dickinson all supported Biden's "objective and deliberate" decision.
In Washington, the fate of Space Command headquarters has been a point of bitter contention between Alabama and Colorado lawmakers. Biden's decision to keep the "multimillion-dollar economic driver" in Colorado Springs "is a win for Democrats and Republicans alike in Colorado," who have argued to more than two years that Trump's last-ditch decision was "politically motivated," The Colorado Sun reported. Trump actually "credited himself for 'single-handedly' putting the command in the red state," Politico noted.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Alabama GOP lawmakers argued that Biden's move to overrule Trump was driven by politics. "This fight is far from over," House Armed Services Committee Chair Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) said Monday. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), who has clashed with the Pentagon and White House over his six-month-long protest hold on senior military promotions, argued that Biden's decision "looks like blatant patronage politics."
Biden was convinced to keep U.S. Space Command in Colorado by Dickinson, who "was staunchly in favor of staying put," arguing "that moving his headquarters now would jeopardize military readiness," The Associated Press reported, citing U.S. officials. Kendall had "leaned toward Huntsville."
National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said that with the decision now made, U.S. Space Command's headquarters "is expected to achieve 'full operational capability' at Colorado Springs" in August.
U.S. Space Command is charged with defending U.S. national interests starting at 62 miles above sea level, facilitating satellite navigation and communication for the U.S. military and tracking missile launches. It is separate from the U.S. Space Force, a new branch of the U.S. Armed Forces also created at Trump's behest in 2019.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Outer Hebrides: a top travel destination
The Week Recommends Discover 'unspoiled beauty' of the Western Isles
By Tess Foley-Cox Published
-
The Biltmore Mayfair review: a quintessential slice of luxury London
The Week Recommends This swanky retreat in Grosvenor Square blends old-world glamour with modern comforts
By Caroline Dolby Published
-
Is ChatGPT's new search engine OpenAI's Google 'killer'?
Talking Point There's a new AI-backed search engine in town. But can it stand up to Google's decades-long hold on internet searches?
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
A giant meteor did double duty on Earth billions of years ago
Under the Radar Nutrients from the impact led to a "fertilizer bomb"
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
NASA's Europa Clipper blasts off, seeking an ocean
Speed Read The ship is headed toward Jupiter on a yearslong journey
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Detailed map of fly's brain holds clues to human mind
Speed Read This remarkable fruit fly brain analysis will aid in future human brain research
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Bacteria is evolving to live (and infect) in space
Under the Radar The ISS has new micro-habitants
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Earth may be gaining a temporary moon
Under the radar A planetary plus-one
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
10 recent scientific breakthroughs
In Depth From cell reparation to monkey communication
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Is billionaire's 'risky' space flight about research or tourism?
In the Spotlight Jared Isaacman takes an all-private crew to space
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Nasa's astronauts: stranded in space
In the Spotlight Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore's eight-day trip to the ISS has now stretched into weeks amid concerns over their Starliner spacecraft
By The Week UK Published