OAN’s Shawntel Smith-Hill
11:50 AM – Tuesday, August 1, 2023
President Joe Biden has come under fire recently from both parties for his decision to keep the headquarters of the United States Space Command in Colorado, reversing a decision made by former President Donald Trump, who had committed to transfer the command to Alabama.
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Biden made the decision to keep the headquarters in Colorado after the head of Space Command, Gen. James Dickinson, and other top military officials argued that moving the headquarters endangered military readiness, according to a U.S. official.
Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder says that Biden conferred with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and senior military officers before deciding that Colorado Springs, Colorado, will remain the permanent station of Space Command.
Deciding to keep Space Command in Colorado, Ryder stated, will ensure the U.S.’s ability to maintain “peak readiness in the space domain… during a critical period.”
However, not everyone agreed with the president’s decision.
Dickinson’s argument opposed the views of other top Air Force officials, who decided that relocating the headquarters to Huntsville, Alabama, was the right decision.
Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.) released a statement late on Monday severely criticizing Biden over the decision, calling it “shameful” and accusing him of bowing “to the whims of politics over merit.”
“This Administration’s decision to keep Space Command in Colorado bows to the whims of politics over merit. Huntsville’s merits won this selection process fair and square,” Sewell said. “In three separate reports, Huntsville reigned victorious, whereas Colorado did not come in second or even third.”
“This reversal is as shameful as it is disappointing. I expected more from the Biden Administration. A decision of this magnitude should not be about red states versus blue states, but rather what is best for our national security. To be clear, the Alabama Congressional Delegation stands united in opposition to this decision,” she added.
Despite what appeared to be an overwhelmingly strong rejection of Biden’s plans, members of Congress from Colorado commended the administration’s decision.
“Colorado is the rightful home for U.S. Space Command, and our state will continue to lead America in space for years to come,” Democrat Senator Michael Bennet said in a statement.
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