The Department of Defense Inspector General announced that it will open an investigation into the decision by Donald Trump at the end of his administration to move the command center for Space Force out of Colorado and to Alabama, the Associated Press reports.
Currently located at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, the Space Force command mirrors the Air Force’s Space Command. Trump stated at a 2020 Colorado Springs reelection rally that the command would stay in the city, which is also home to the US Air Force Academy.
However, Trump lost Colorado to President Joe Biden in the November election, as did incumbent Republican Senator Cory Gardner, for whom Trump campaigned. The city and the state were shocked by Trump’s mid-January announcement.
Six cities were in the running for the command center, including Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico, Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, Port San Antonio in Texas and Patrick Air Force Base in Brevard County, Florida. Huntsville, Alabama was selected, the Pentagon said, because it’s the home of Redstone Arsenal and it offered financial incentives to build there.
Typically, however, financial implications are low among the location of military command centers, with decisions being made based on deployment, functionality and existing infrastructure.
The Inspector General is holding up the assignment of the command center while it investigates whether the decision was based on existing guidelines and compliance issues.