【By Zhang Jingjuan, Observers Network】A "relocation dispute" concerning U.S. space hegemony has once again ignited Washington. According to The Washington Post, on September 2 local time, U.S. President Trump announced in the Oval Office that the U.S. Air Force Space Command would be moved from Colorado to Huntsville, Alabama.

Regarding the issue of the permanent headquarters of the Space Command, the Democratic and Republican parties have long been in heated debate, accusing each other of prioritizing partisan interests. The report said that Trump's latest decision will bring a new turning point to this long-standing dispute. Supporters have framed it as a "reasonable choice for U.S. national security," while opponents have seized the opportunity to argue that it will set back the U.S. space defense system by years, waste billions of dollars in taxpayer funds, and even "hand over space advantages to countries like China."

Behind these arguments, the relocation of the institution is actually the result of a three-term government and two presidential terms of interest games between Alabama and Colorado, both vying for the headquarters and the ensuing billions in investment.

In his speech that day, Trump acknowledged this pressure, jokingly saying to the lawmakers nearby, "They won't call and talk about this topic anymore," and adding, "they've gotten what they wanted."

The U.S. Air Force Space Command was established in the 1980s, located at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado, responsible for providing "space capabilities" for space flight, navigation, satellite communication, missile warning, and space control, and coordinating with other senior headquarters.

In 2002, it was merged into the U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. In 2019, the U.S. Space Command was re-established under Trump, temporarily based in Colorado Springs. That December, Trump signed the 2020 Fiscal Year Defense Authorization Act, officially establishing the Space Force, the first new military branch in the U.S. in 72 years. Before leaving office in January 2021, Trump announced that the command would be permanently based in Huntsville, Alabama.

On September 2, 2025, in Washington D.C., U.S. President Trump speaks at the White House. IC photo

Alabama is a traditional Republican "red state," while Colorado is a traditional "swing state." Both states' legislators have claimed their state is most suitable as the headquarters of the Space Command: Huntsville has close ties with the aerospace industry, while Colorado Springs has deep ties with the Air Force.

In 2023, the Biden administration overturned Trump's previous inclination, deciding to permanently locate the U.S. Space Command headquarters in Colorado Springs. This caused great dissatisfaction among the chairman of the House Military Committee, Republican Congressman Mike D. Rogers, representing Alabama, and other legislators in the state, who vowed to overturn the decision. Now that Trump has returned to the White House, the possibility of relocation has increased significantly.

Republican Senator of Alabama Katie Boyd Britt directly stated that the relocation decision would bring at least 1,600 jobs to the state, boosting the local economy.

More intriguingly, Trump's remarks mentioned that he won Alabama by a large margin in the 2024 presidential election, but claimed this was not the reason for his decision. Additionally, he pointed the finger at Colorado's mail-in voting system, stating, "Colorado has a big problem—they use mail-in voting," continuing his long-standing attack on this voting method.

Rogers accused the Biden administration of injecting political factors into the decision two years ago, saying, "It was the Biden administration that politicized it, despite the fact that his own Air Force Secretary had said it was a fair competition, and the Space Command should be located in Huntsville."

Colorado's response was equally fierce. Including Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert, a Trump ally, the entire Colorado congressional delegation issued a statement condemning it and vowed to oppose it. They claimed that the relocation would set back the U.S. space defense system by years, waste billions of dollars in taxpayer funds, and hand over "advantages to countries like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, which are increasingly approaching threats."

Members of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce also expressed disappointment with the announcement but seemed reluctant to try to overturn it. Leslie Oliver, vice president of external affairs of the chamber, said on the 2nd that regardless of whether the Space Command is there or not, Colorado will continue to be a global aerospace center. However, she expected that this relocation would cause the region to lose 1,400 jobs and about $1 billion in economic activity.

In fact, the frequent hype by the U.S. about the "China space threat" has long been a common tactic. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning previously clearly stated that China has always adhered to peaceful use of outer space, opposed space arms races, and opposed the weaponization of outer space. China has no intention of engaging in a "space race" with any country, nor does it seek so-called "space superiority." The U.S. openly defines outer space as a "theater of operations," continues to expand its space forces, establishes military alliances in outer space, and advances the militarization of outer space, seriously threatening the common security and development rights of all countries in outer space. China urges the U.S. to stop spreading irresponsible statements, stop expanding military buildup in outer space, and truly maintain the long-term peace and security of outer space.

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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7545741676250235411/

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