Trump Orders U.S. Space Command Headquarters Relocated from Colorado to Alabama

President Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House on Tuesday. Trump announces that U.S. Space Command will move its headquarters from Colorado to Alabama.

September 2, 2025 — President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the U.S. Space Command headquarters will relocate from Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, reversing a Biden-era decision to keep the command in Colorado. The move, which Trump described as a return to his original plan from his first term, ends a years-long tug-of-war between the two states over the coveted military headquarters, a significant economic driver expected to bring thousands of jobs and billions in investment.

Speaking from the Oval Office, flanked by Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Alabama’s Republican congressional delegation, including Senators Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville, Trump hailed the decision as a boost for national security and economic growth. “The U.S. Space Command headquarters will move to the beautiful locale of a place called Huntsville, Alabama, forever to be known as Rocket City,” Trump said, noting the city’s longstanding nickname due to its role in NASA’s rocket development. He claimed the relocation would create “more than 30,000 Alabama jobs” and attract “billions of dollars in investment,” while enhancing America’s ability to “defend and dominate the high frontier.”

The relocation revives a decision Trump made in the final days of his first term in 2021, when the Air Force selected Huntsville as the preferred location after evaluating six states based on infrastructure, community support, and costs to the Defense Department. However, in 2023, President Joe Biden opted to keep Space Command in Colorado Springs, citing concerns about military readiness and the disruption a move could cause. Biden’s decision, which followed advice from then-Space Command head Gen. James Dickinson, sparked accusations of political favoritism from Alabama lawmakers, who claimed Colorado was chosen to reward a Democratic-leaning state.

Trump’s announcement reignites those tensions, with the president explicitly citing Colorado’s mail-in voting system as a “big factor” in his decision. “The problem I have with Colorado, one of the big problems, they do mail-in voting. They went to all mail-in voting, so they have automatically crooked elections,” Trump said, repeating baseless claims about mail-in voting that have been debunked by election experts, including officials from his first administration. He also noted Alabama’s strong electoral support, quipping, “I only won it by about 47 points. I don’t think that influenced my decision, though.”

Colorado’s entire congressional delegation, including Republicans and Democrats, issued a joint statement condemning the move as detrimental to national security. “Moving Space Command headquarters weakens our national security at the worst possible time,” the delegation said, arguing that the fully operational command in Colorado Springs provides critical capabilities, including satellite-based navigation, troop communication, and missile launch warnings. They warned that the relocation could cost billions, disrupt operations, and lead to the loss of civilian workers unwilling to move. “We are united in fighting to reverse this decision,” they added.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis called the decision “deeply disappointing,” while Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade said it was a blow to both the city and national security. In contrast, Alabama leaders celebrated. Senator Katie Britt thanked Trump for “restoring Space Command to its rightful home,” emphasizing Huntsville’s infrastructure, including Redstone Arsenal, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, and the Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command. Representative Dale Strong estimated the move could generate 3,000 spin-off jobs, with construction of a permanent headquarters expected to take 14 to 18 months.

U.S. Space Command, re-established in 2019 under Trump’s first term, oversees military operations beyond Earth’s atmosphere, including defending U.S. satellites and enabling space-based navigation and communication. The command, distinct from the U.S. Space Force, became fully operational in December 2023 and employs about 1,700 personnel. Defense officials have estimated that relocating the headquarters could cost hundreds of millions and take three to four years, raising concerns about operational gaps at a time of growing space threats from nations like China and Russia.

Huntsville’s selection aligns with Trump’s vision for a “Golden Dome” missile defense program, with Defense Secretary Hegseth stating the move would ensure the U.S. remains “leaps and bounds ahead” in space dominance. Vice President Vance called Alabama “exactly the right place” for the command, citing its strategic advantages. However, critics argue the decision is politically motivated, noting Trump’s pattern of linking federal decisions to state politics, such as his recent threats to withhold disaster aid from California and his criticism of Maryland as a “liberal state” in FBI headquarters discussions.

A 2021 Air Force assessment ranked Huntsville higher than Colorado Springs in most basing criteria, including cost savings estimated at $426 million due to lower construction and personnel expenses. Yet, a 2025 Defense Department inspector general report was inconclusive on why Biden chose Colorado, citing limited access to senior officials. Alabama lawmakers, who lobbied heavily for the move, accused Biden of politicizing the process, while Colorado’s delegation now levels similar charges at Trump.

Next Steps and ChallengesNo timeline for the relocation was specified, but temporary facilities at Redstone Arsenal are expected to house the initial wave of 1,400–1,800 personnel, with a permanent site planned near Toftoy and Neal Roads. The move, described as the third-largest military relocation to Huntsville in modern times, follows previous transfers of the Missile Defense Agency and Army Aviation and Missile Command. However, Colorado lawmakers, including Trump allies like Representative Lauren Boebert, have vowed to challenge the decision, potentially through congressional oversight or legal action.

The relocation caps a contentious saga marked by competing state interests, partisan accusations, and concerns over national security. As the U.S. faces growing competition in space, the move to Huntsville could reshape military operations and local economies, but not without significant costs and resistance.