Why Did Trump Administration Decide To Move Space Command Out Of Colorado? Second Investigation Coming

Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo
President Donald Trump watches with Vice President Mike Pence and Defense Secretary Mark Esper as the flag for U.S. space Command is unfurled as Trump announces the establishment of the U.S. Space Command in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019.

Congress’s nonpartisan watchdog office will review the decision to make Huntsville the permanent home of Space Command, according to Colorado Springs Rep. Doug Lamborn.

The Government Accountability Office will look into the methodology and scoring the Air Force used to make the decision, and not the political considerations. The Trump Administration announced the decision about the base's location in its final weeks in office. Many in Colorado were surprised by the move, and concerns were raised that Colorado Springs topped the list of finalist bases, but the administration moved it to Alabama for political reasons.

“I believe the process the Department of the Air Force used was fundamentally flawed,” Lamborn said in a statement. He called for the GAO to review in early February. “It is crucial we thoroughly review their entire process to ensure that the decision was both sound and rooted in our national security interests.”

The Defense Department’s Inspector General is also investigating the basing decision.

The entire Colorado congressional delegation, led by Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, wrote to President Joe Biden urging him to suspend the move until his administration can thoroughly review it.

Colorado Springs remains the temporary home for Space Command headquarters for at least five more years.