President Donald Trump teased a major announcement on Tuesday afternoon, but the Pentagon accidentally spoiled the surprise by posting the news ahead of him—then quickly deleting it.
Dave Brown, deputy managing editor for Politico, noted that Trump lost both the element of surprise and the impact of his "Oval Office announcement slated for Tuesday afternoon." Instead, the story broke early when the Defense Department’s website inadvertently published a link to the upcoming livestream with the caption “U.S. Space Command HQ Announcement.” The reference was later removed.
Trump is expected to announce the relocation of U.S. Space Command headquarters from Colorado Springs to Huntsville, Alabama—a decision likely to hit the Colorado Springs economy hard. The area, a longtime conservative stronghold, is already home to the U.S. Air Force Academy as well as organizations such as Focus on the Family and the James Dobson Family Institute. A decade ago, the city ranked as the fourth most conservative in the country, CPR News reported, though recent trends suggest change.
Former President Joe Biden had previously decided not to move the facility and its workforce across the country.
Losing Space Command could complicate Rep. Jeff Crank's (R) 2026 reelection prospects, given that he was seated on the key House Armed Services Committee.
“The decision ends a bitter years-long turf war between Alabama and Colorado leaders over the best home for the unit. Each side argued the other benefited from politically motivated decisions by either Trump or Biden to reward states that voted for them,” Politico reported.