Colorado Springs plays an outsized role in America’s defense, which makes our community’s approach to readiness more important than ever.

Against that backdrop, Attorney General Phil Weiser’s decision to pursue yet another lawsuit against the Trump administration, his forty-sixth in less than a year, warrants thoughtful scrutiny, particularly regarding its effectiveness and its impact on the Pikes Peak region. In contrast, the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC, our City Council, and the El Paso County Board of Commissioners have each taken up, or are moving toward, resolutions opposing the lawsuit. Their actions reflect a responsible, future-focused approach that prioritizes constructive engagement over posturing.

To understand the context, it’s important to acknowledge why Weiser is suing. His lawsuit argues that the relocation is unconstitutional because President Trump once linked the move to Colorado’s use of mail-in voting. That comment, made in characteristic off-cuff Trump fashion, has become the cornerstone of the Attorney General’s claim: that Colorado was punished for administering elections in a manner the Constitution leaves to the states. On paper, it may read like a defense of state sovereignty. In practice, it looks far more like a political calculation from an Attorney General running for governor in a Democratic primary where picking fights with Trump is not a legal strategy, it’s a campaign strategy. Opposing the lawsuit is not the same as accepting the relocation of Space Command; our city continues to believe it was the wrong decision, but litigation built on political claims will not reverse it.

Unfortunately, the potential consequences of that calculation will not be borne by Phil Weiser but those of us here in the Pikes Peak region. We are the community that will feel the fallout, not just in lost jobs or mission uncertainty, but in diminished credibility with the very federal partners we must work with over the next three years. Like it or not, the Trump administration and Department of War leadership will remain in place for that entire period. During those years, defense outlays, including cutting-edge initiatives like Golden Dome, are expected to exceed several trillion dollars. That is a generational opportunity. But only if Colorado Springs is seen as a willing partner, not a hostile litigant.

This is precisely why the position taken by our Chamber & EDC, Board of County Commissioners, and City Council deserves real appreciation. Last week, Colorado Springs City Council, led by Council Member Roland Rainey, passed a resolution opposing Weiser’s lawsuit, noting that suing the sitting President is not a productive or strategic path forward. Their recognition of the stakes and their willingness to stand up for what best serves Colorado Springs is commendable. The Chamber & EDC echoed this, emphasizing the importance of working constructively with the administration to secure future missions and investments for our region.

In moments like this, clarity and unity are essential for our region to succeed.

Even in the face of losing Space Command headquarters, our region stands on the cusp of tremendous opportunity. We continue to be a national leader in aerospace and defense, with mission capabilities, workforce strengths, and industry partnerships that few cities can match. We should be positioning ourselves to capitalize on that, not undermining those efforts with lawsuits designed more for headlines than outcomes. Congressman Jeff Crank, serving on the House Armed Services Committee, is already working to advance our region’s military priorities; local unity and constructive advocacy provide him with the strongest tools to succeed.

Colorado Springs has never advanced by letting others define our interests. We move forward when we stand together, act strategically, and keep our eyes on the opportunities ahead. This moment does not demand perfect agreement, but it does demand shared purpose. Safeguarding our economic future is not political, it is community work, and it deserves broad support.

Dan Nordberg is a former Colorado State Representative and presidential appointee, serving as Regional Administrator for Region VIII and later as Director of the Office of Rural Affairs at the U.S. Small Business Administration.