Tuberville: “Space Command decision not based off politics. It’s what the American taxpayers want.”

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville is defending the decision to relocate the United States Space Command headquarters to the Rocket City.

The junior senator said the announcement was not politically motivated.

Senator Tuberville said nothing is 100 percent set in stone, but he is feeling confident after his conversations with the U.S. Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett. He said the review team, making the decision, did its due diligence.

Senator Tuberville said the decision was not based off politics rather what the American taxpayers want; to be able to save money while doing the right thing of protecting our nation’s security.

Tuberville said former President Donald Trump may have played a part, but he believes this decision was based off merit.

Since the announcement, critics in Colorado have requested the Biden administration to delay the decision to move the headquarters to Alabama. Tuberville said he has not heard from President Joe Biden regarding a reverse decision.

“I think it was basically left up to the people behind the scenes,” said Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville. “They understand what we need now and what we need for the future. So, as I said earlier, this didn’t have a lot to do with politics this had to do with something based off of pure merit and facts of why this went to the people of Huntsville and the state of Alabama. I think we are in good shape but again, never is a long time.”

The final decision is not expected until Spring 2023.

The Air Force still needs to conduct an environmental analysis before making the decision permanent.

Leaders in Colorado Springs said the application to keep Space Command there was unmatched, and they invested nearly $130 million dollars into the headquarters.

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