Saying the U.S. “protect(s) the world with missile defense from Huntsville,” U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville said Huntsville should remain the choice for Space Command headquarters.
Tuberville made the comments on Donald Trump Jr.’s “Triggered” streaming show Thursday. During a 90-minute interview, Tuberville made other comments about a wide range of topics including public education, saying of inner city teachers that he didn’t know “whether they can read and write.”
“You name it, space-wise, it’s in Huntsville,” Tuberville said. “They looked at 60 places, Huntsville won it – hands down.”
Tuberville is the latest Alabama official to make the case in support of Huntsville in the aftermath of an NBC News report earlier this week that the Biden administration is looking to keep Space Command in Colorado Springs, Colo., as its permanent headquarters.
The Air Force in 2021 identified Huntsville as its “preferred choice” and multiple government assessments have agreed that Redstone Arsenal in the Rocket City is the best site.
Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison Mayor Paul Finley and Madison County Commission Chair Mac McCutcheon released a joint statement today criticizing the developments, and Gov. Kay Ivey made her own pitch.
Alabama officials said they believe the Biden Administration is making a decision on Space Command based on politics – such as Colorado’s support for Biden in the 2020 election, and Alabama’s abortion laws.
“That’s an excuse, because you do have military bases in Florida where your abortion laws are just like ours, same thing in Texas,” Tuberville told Trump.
“Listen, I’m an American, and if I wasn’t a senator from Alabama, and I truly thought the best place for us to save our world would be to move Space Command and have it in Colorado – hey, let’s go do it. But it’s not. We did it the right way.”
Noting that Huntsville is home to Redstone Arsenal, as well as centers for NASA, ULA, Space X, Blue Origin, defense contractors, and the FBI, Tuberville said Space Command is needed as Russia, China and Iran are gearing up their capabilities to shoot down satellites.
Tuberville said he has invited Biden to Huntsville.
“I don’t know if he’s been there or not,” he said. “I’ve looked at all the reviews, and it’s hands down. But it’s gotten political. That’s what this administration has done. It’s made it all political.”
