WASHINGTON — With President Donald Trump back in the White House, it looks as if Space Command may finally move to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, after years of delay and controversy.
The saga of bringing Space Command to the Rocket City dates back to the waning days of the first Trump Administration in 2016. Before leaving office, Trump established the U.S. Space Force and announced that Space Command would be relocated from Colorado to Huntsville. The move seemed like a real possibility until the Biden Administration shortly thereafter made the call to keep Space Command at its current location.
The surprise move drew fierce bipartisan condemnation from Alabama’s elected officials including Sen. Tommy Tuberville.
On a call with reporters Wednesday, Tuberville (R-Auburn) once again reaffirmed his commitment to bring the command to Redstone.
“There’ll have to be a discussion, and the Secretary of the Air Force will have a discussion with President Trump,” said Tuberville. “But the last two secretaries of the Air Force have picked Huntsville. Even Joe Biden’s (secretary) picked Huntsville.
“So, it’s the obvious thing to do. It’s the right thing to do.”
Before that discussion can happen, however, the new Secretary of the Air Force will have to be confirmed and there is some uncertainty about when that will happen. Trump nominated Troy E. Meink for the position.
“So when is the Secretary of Air Force going to be confirmed? We have not received a date,” Tuberville said. “I would imagine in the next couple of weeks. We did the secretary of the Army yesterday and we’re doing the secretary of the Navy tomorrow.
“He will be next and we’ll see how that goes.”
Tuberville emphasized again that there is no doubt Huntsville is the correct base for Space Command.
“It’s not just we’d love it to come to Alabama and Huntsville, but we love national security,” Tuberville said. “Space Command is the future for our military for years and years and years to come. We have to get it in the right place and we don’t need to take the place that was fourth or fifth or sixth down the line.
“We need to take the best.”
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