Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser sues Trump administration over plans to move U.S. Space Command
Colorado's Attorney General Phil Weiser is pushing back against the Trump administration's plans to relocate U.S. Space Command from Colorado Springs, claiming the move is "unconstitutional and unlawful."
In September, President Trump announced renewed plans to move the facility to Huntsville, Alabama, a move that continues his administration's efforts to reestablish U.S. Space Command begun in 2018. Former President Joe Biden overturned that decision in 2023, opting to keep it in Colorado at the urging of Gen. James Dickinson, who has served as Commander of U.S. Space Command since 2020. Dickinson argued that moving the headquarters would jeopardize military readiness, as it could take several years to build facilities equal to what they already have in Colorado.
Colorado's congressional delegation condemned the president's announcement, saying it would take "necessary action" to keep Space Command in the state.
On Wednesday, Weiser filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking an injunction that would prohibit the administration from taking further actions to move the facility. The lawsuit alleges that the move is intended to punish Colorado for allowing mail-in voting and, as such, would violate the 10th Amendment, the Elections Clause, state sovereignty and separation of powers.
"The president could not have been clearer about his motivations for moving Space Command. He said Colorado's mail-in voting system was a 'big factor' in his decision making. The Constitution does not permit the Executive Branch to punish or retaliate against states for lawfully exercising powers reserved for them, such as the power to regulate elections. If we don't take a stand now against this unconstitutional and unlawful decision, Colorado and other states that use mail-in voting will face further pressure or punishment unless they give up their constitutional authority," said Weiser.
Weiser also argues that the administration violated federal law, which requires the military to follow certain steps before relocating a major headquarters.
A statement from the attorney general's office said, "The administration did not provide the congressional armed services committees with the notice required by statute within seven days of issuing any formal internal guidance initiating the decision-making process for relocating Space Command headquarters, selecting the two to five most likely locations for the headquarters, and selecting a preferred location for the headquarters."
Space Command's departure could cost the state hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars. According to the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, it employs around 1,400 people and has a billion dollar impact on Colorado's economy.
State Sen. Mike Weissman, Chair of the Senate State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee, said: "Buckley Space Force Base generates a billion-dollar economic impact in the community I serve, and the economic impact to El Paso County of our armed forces presence there is even greater. This politically motivated decision by the Trump administration will harm Colorado communities. More importantly, our entire nation needs national security decisions to be made on objective evidence about force readiness and capability, not political favoritism. This decision and others like it by the Trump administration abandon decades of bipartisan respect for our military professionals and make our nation less safe."
