Biden keeps U.S. Space Command in Colorado, reversing Trump move to Alabama

Gen. James Dickinson, head of U.S. Space Command
(Image credit: Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images)

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.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

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.