White House reverts Space Command HQ move to Alabama

After years of debate and division, Space Command finally has a decision on where it will be headquartered at. The decision came straight from the top and like all moves in DC is filled with more political divide.

President Biden breaks the tie

After Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall and US Space Command commander Gen. James Dickinson couldn’t agree on whether or not to move the HQ to Alabama or keep it put in Colorado, Biden had to be called in to break the tie.

The disagreement centers on the relocation of Space Command HQ to Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. Former President Trump made the 11th-hour decision before leaving office, which some saw as a political favor to a traditionally red state. Following an investigation by Congress, the decision-making authority fell to Kendall and Dickinson, but they could not come to a consensus.

Politico reports that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin brought the matter to President Biden, who ultimately determined that it was best for Space Command to remain in Colorado. A spokesperson for the National Security Council, John Kirby, emphasized that the decision was based on operational readiness and not political considerations.

More politics to tackle

This choice is likely to fuel further division between Republicans and Democrats, as the public divide between the two parties continues to grow. Although it resolves the political argument about the HQ’s location, it might trigger more debates on related matters.

Alabama’s Senator Tommy Tuberville has been a vocal opponent of military policy related to the reimbursement of travel expenses for servicemen seeking abortions out of state. His stance has led to blocking senior nominations for military positions. Given Alabama’s outright ban on abortion in the state, this issue adds another layer of complexity to the HQ relocation decision.

Proponents of the Huntsville, Alabama location may argue that it scored higher than Colorado in the department’s review. However, the transition to Huntsville is projected to take until 2030 at best. On the other hand, Colorado currently houses leading contractors, multiple Space Force bases, and the Air Force Academy. But the biggest factor to the White House was the need to bring Space Command on par with China’s capabilities as soon as possible.

Gen. Dickinson faces the pressure of making the command fully operational by August, and a move to Huntsville could make that timeline impossible to meet.