COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Secretary of War Pete Hegseth met with U.S. Space Command officials Thursday to discuss accelerating the planned relocation from Colorado Springs to Huntsville, Alabama, following President Trump's September announcement.
The meeting included Space Command's commander, General Stephen Whiting, according to a Department of Defense release sent out Friday. Officials discussed how to balance speed, cost, and execution in the moving process, though no specific details were provided in the release.
In September, Trump announced his decision to move the unified command to Alabama, reversing the Biden administration's 2023 decision to keep it in Colorado Springs, seemingly ending a years-long disagreement over where the command group should be headquartered.
"I am thrilled to report that the U.S. Space Command headquarters will move to the beautiful locale of a place called Huntsville, Alabama — forever to be known from this point forward as Rocket City," Trump said during the announcement.
- Watch President Trump's Announcement from September
The relocation has faced significant opposition from Colorado's congressional delegation, who called the move a threat to national security and a waste of taxpayer dollars.
"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 delegation said in a joint statement.
Politics
Colorado delegation issues joint statement following Space Command decision
Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade said he was disappointed at the time of the announcement but not surprised by the decision, noting that the city would continue to play a critical role in the nation's space and defense missions.
The Government Accountability Office reported earlier this year that keeping Space Command in Colorado Springs would require $1.5 billion in new military construction. The relocation is expected to affect approximately 1,000 positions, according to Colorado Republican representatives.
Rep. Jeff Crank, who represents Colorado Springs, hinted at potential legislative roadblocks to slow the process but acknowledged the move would likely proceed.
"This is going to take a long time for them to execute," Crank said in an interview with News5 in early October. "I think they will get down the road and find out that it's probably not as practicable as they thought."
- Watch our Interview with Representative Crank Below
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