In a rare moment of unification, Colorado’s entire congressional delegation on Tuesday released a joint statement in opposition to President Trump’s proposed relocation of U.S. Space Command from Colorado Springs to Huntsville, Alabama.
The congresspeople joined several state and local leaders who spoke out in the wake of the announcement, saying the decision will negatively impact the readiness of the U.S. military and come at unnecessary cost to the American taxpayer.
Trump said Huntsville, which has a long history in space and defense, “fought harder than anyone else” to lure Space Command headquarters. He also said Colorado’s mail-in voting system played a role in the decision.
Republican leaders in Alabama celebrated the decision, saying Space Command would return to its “rightful home.”
In 2023, the Air Force deemed Huntsville its preferred Space Command headquarters location in a Government Accountability Office assessment.
Here’s what Colorado leaders had to say about the decision:
Congressional delegation forecasts ‘direct harm’
"Today’s decision to move U.S. Space Command’s headquarters out of Colorado and to Alabama will directly harm our state and the nation. We are united in fighting to reverse this decision. Bottom line—moving Space Command headquarters weakens our national security at the worst possible time.
"Moving Space Command sets our space defense apparatus back years, wastes billions of taxpayer dollars, and hands the advantage to the converging threats of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. The Department of Defense Inspector General’s office has reported multiple times that moving the Command will impede our military’s operational capability for years.
"Space Command’s long-term presence in Colorado Springs has also created a large number of civilian businesses and workers on which the Command now relies. Those people will not simply move with the Command at the military’s whim. Many of them will leave the industry altogether, creating a disruption in the workforce that will take our national defense systems decades to recreate.
"Being prepared for any threats should be the nation’s top priority; a crucial part of that is keeping in place what is already fully operational. Moving Space Command would not result in any additional operational capabilities than what we have up and running in Colorado Springs now. Colorado Springs is the appropriate home for U.S. Space Command, and we will take the necessary action to keep it there."
Gov. Polis calls it ‘the wrong decision’
“This is a deeply disappointing decision for our state and nation. This is the wrong decision, diminishing military readiness and national security and eroding the trust Americans have in our country and its leaders to do the right thing," Polis said. "Uprooting Space Command will weaken national security and readiness, waste taxpayer dollars, and inconvenience military families. Colorado Springs is home to a proud military community and a thriving aerospace ecosystem, and significant national security missions and units, all of which are critical to U.S. Space Command. Coloradans and Americans should all be provided full transparency and the full details of this poor decision. We hope other vital military units and missions are retained and expanded in Colorado Springs. Colorado remains an ideal location for future missions, including Golden Dome."
Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera says the move is 'ill-advised'
“Space is critical to every component of American life, from our economy to our national security," she said. "This ill-advised decision by the White House to move Space Command from its rightful home in Colorado Springs will significantly harm our military readiness and national security and uproot military families. Our unparalleled Aerospace & Defense ecosystem has been vital to Space Command achieving Full Operational Capability and executing the mission. This decision is deeply disappointing."
Colorado Springs mayor says it is ‘deeply disappointing’
"Today’s announcement about relocating U.S. Space Command from Colorado Springs is deeply disappointing, not only for our city, but for our nation’s security and taxpayers," Mayor Yemi Mobolade wrote on social media. "This move threatens operational continuity at a time when space-related threats are only increasing. U.S. Space Command reached full operational capability in 2023 because of the unmatched talent here in Colorado Springs, much of which will not relocate. Losing that expertise in relocation risks mission success and wastes billions in taxpayer dollars."
"While we are disappointed, we are not surprised. We have long understood this would be a priority of the Trump administration. From day one, we have worked with our congressional delegation and community partners to keep U.S. Space Command here because it is in the best interest of our national defense and America’s global standing. Looking forward, we remain hopeful. The space enterprise is growing rapidly, and Colorado Springs, already a global leader in space, will continue to see new opportunities for expansion and growth of our military capacity. Our existing space assets position us well for the next chapter in America’s space story."
Attorney General Phil Weiser ready to ‘challenge it in court’
“The Trump administration should not play political games with our nation’s military readiness and military families. Moving Space Command Headquarters to Alabama is not only wrong for our national defense, but it’s harmful to hundreds of Space Command personnel and their families," Weiser said. "These El Paso County residents are our neighbors. They relied on the federal government’s decision to keep Space Command HQ in Colorado Springs – they bought homes for their families, selected schools for their children, and have contributed to the local economy.
“The Colorado Attorney General’s Office has been preparing in the event the president made such an unlawful decision to move Space Command HQ. If the Trump administration takes this step – I’m prepared to challenge it in court.”