WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s administration will announce on Tuesday that U.S. Space Command will be located in Alabama, reversing a Biden-era decision to keep it at its temporary headquarters in Colorado, according to two people familiar with the announcement.
Trump is expected to speak Tuesday afternoon, and he will give the new location, according to the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to confirm the plans ahead of the official announcement. A Pentagon website set up to livestream the remarks describes the event as a “U.S. Space Command HQ Announcement.”
“The president will be making an exciting announcement related to the Department of Defense,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
Space Command’s functions include conducting operations like enabling satellite-based navigation and troop communication and providing warning of missile launches.
In this photo released by the U.S. Air Force, Capt. Ryan Vickers stands for a photo to display his new service tapes after taking his oath of office to transfer from the U.S. Air Force to the U.S. Space Force at Al-Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Sept. 1, 2020. (Staff Sgt. Kayla White/U.S. Air Force via AP, File)
Alabama and Colorado have long battled to claim Space Command because it has significant implications for the local economy. The site also has been a political prize, with elected officials from both Alabama and Colorado asserting their state is the better location.
Huntsville, Alabama, nicknamed Rocket City, has long been home to the Army’s Redstone Arsenal and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. The Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command is also located in Huntsville, which drew its nickname because of its role in building the first rockets for the U.S. space program.
The announcement caps a four-year back-and-forth on the location of Space Command.
The Air Force in 2021 identified Army Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville as the preferred location for the new U.S. Space Command. The city was picked after site visits to six states that compared factors such as infrastructure capacity, community support and costs to the Defense Department.
President Donald Trump steps off Air Force One after arriving at Huntsville International airport, Sept. 22, 2017, in Huntsville, Ala. President Donald Trump’s administration says U.S. Space Command will be based in Alabama, reversing a Biden-era decision to keep it in Colorado. The announcement was made Wednesday. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
Then-President Joe Biden in 2023 announced Space Command would be permanently located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, which had been serving as its temporary headquarters. Biden’s Democratic administration said that keeping the command in Colorado Springs would avoid a disruption in readiness.
A review by the Defense Department inspector general was inconclusive and could not determine why Colorado was chosen over Alabama. Trump, a Republican who enjoys deep support in Alabama, had long been expected to move Space Command back to Alabama.
