Can Colorado Stop Trump’s Space Command Move?

The fight over Space Command’s home base has reignited a fierce legal and political debate over the president’s authority to uproot a critical military command.

Currently based in Colorado Springs, Space Command supports roughly 1,400 jobs and generates about $1 billion annually for the state’s economy. So when President Trump announced in 2021 that the headquarters would move to Alabama, many in Colorado saw the decision as political payback, especially after Trump publicly linked it to his dislike of Colorado’s mail-in voting system.

The Trump administration defended its choice by pointing to a 2020 Air Force review that ranked Alabama’s Redstone Arsenal as the top site, citing lower costs and room for growth. But in 2023, the Biden administration reversed that decision, siding with Pentagon officials who warned that relocating could harm military readiness.

Independent watchdogs had already raised doubts about the original decision. The Government Accountability Office noted the Air Force failed to fully explain its scoring process, while the Pentagon’s Inspector General found the evaluation lacked transparency about how trade-offs were made between states. In short, the selection appeared rushed, opaque, and possibly politically motivated.

Alabama Republicans were quick to condemn Biden’s reversal, accusing him of punishing their state for its restrictive abortion laws. The White House dismissed those accusations, though some officials did suggest that Alabama’s policies could make recruitment and retention more difficult.

Space Command leaders meet with Senate Intelligence Committee staff at Schriever Space Force Base, Aug. 23, 2021. Photo by Dennis Rogers.

Now, with Trump back in office, Colorado once again faces the prospect of losing Space Command.

State leaders are preparing for another fight. Attorney General Phil Weiser has vowed legal action, condemning Trump’s order as “political games with our nation’s military readiness and military families.” Opposition hasn’t been limited to Democrats. Several Republican lawmakers also warned that moving the headquarters would “create a self-inflicted vulnerability” amid rising threats from China, Iran, and Russia. They argue that spending billions to replicate existing facilities in Colorado Springs would delay Space Command’s progress and undermine national defense.

Of course, the question still remains: was President Trump’s original decision unlawful?

Yes and no. Indeed, the President has the authority to designate the location of military command. However, the president needs Congress’ approval to  fund the move. Lawmakers also have the power to hold hearings on whether the move undermines readiness or was politically motivated. Colorado can also argue that the decision was not based on the military’s best interests, but on partisan retaliation, an argument strengthened by Trump’s own public comments. 

That leaves Trump’s plan in uncertain territory. Even if he renews the push, Colorado has multiple legal avenues to challenge it. Congress, the courts, and the Pentagon all have the power to stall or block the move. And Alabama is unlikely to back down quietly.

For now, Colorado Springs still holds the high ground, but the battle is far from over.