Colorado’s Attorney General sued to block the relocation of U.S. Space Command headquarters to Alabama, a move that puts politics ahead of national security. At a time when adversaries like China and Russia are working to undermine America’s technological leadership and military readiness, this is the wrong fight. The voice and interests of Southern Colorado were not considered or appreciated by the filing of this lawsuit.

We didn’t ask for it.

We don’t want it.

The lawsuit weakens our position to compete for future military opportunities and threatens the continued success that has made us a leading center for military and aerospace and defense innovation.

To keep our nation safe and position Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region as a strategic location for future basing decisions, the Colorado Springs Chamber & Economic Development Corporation, backed by Colorado Springs City Council and El Paso County Board of County Commissioners, will file an amicus brief to push back on this frivolous lawsuit that is clearly motivated by political self-interest.

Space Command, responsible for military operations beyond Earth’s atmosphere, has been a subject of debate since its establishment in 2019. Prolonged uncertainty over its headquarters has already strained military families and delayed mission planning.

Colorado Springs, home to North American Aerospace and Defense Command (NORAD), U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), Space Force, and five military installations, is a proven defense hub. And to be clear, keeping U.S. Space Command headquarters in Colorado Springs, where it reached full operational capability in 2023, is in the best interest of national security and taxpayers. But the Constitution is clear that decisions about military basing belong to the Commander-in-Chief and the Department of War, not state officials.

Article II of the U.S. Constitution states: “The President … shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States.” This Commander-in-Chief Clause vests the President, working through the Department of War, with the authority to direct military operations, personnel deployments, and strategic basing decisions, such as choosing locations for installations like Space Command. It forms the constitutional basis for high-level national security decision-making by the executive branch.

Although the decision was not what we hoped for, the Department of War conducted a comprehensive review to identify the most suitable location for Space Command headquarters, and we respect that process. Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, was selected. While Colorado Springs scored lower in several categories, the region has aggressively addressed those gaps. More than 5,000 new multi-family units have been built to improve housing affordability and availability. The region has partnered with military installations to strengthen energy resiliency and enhance emergency response capabilities, while working to expand access to childcare services. At the same time, average wages in El Paso County have risen to over $65,000, helping families keep pace with the cost of living.

The lawsuit’s claim that political motives influenced the move is simply hypocritical and ignores the real consequences of the Attorney General’s actions of distracting from mission readiness, destabilizing Colorado Springs and El Paso County’s aerospace and defense economy and jeopardizing multi-state collaboration that strengthens our region’s defense posture.

Instead of picking fights with the President of the United States and other states, Colorado should lead with partnership, not partisanship. Working with Alabama and the Department of War positions our region for future missions, such as the Golden Dome, bringing jobs, revenue generating investment, and critical capabilities to the Pikes Peak region.

This amicus brief makes it clear that Colorado Springs and El Paso County are focused on the future, not lawsuits. We urge the Colorado Attorney General to join us in prioritizing collaboration over litigation and political theatre.

Seth Harvey is the Chair of Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC Board of Directors and CEO of Bluestaq (developer of Space Force’s Unified Data Library, now influencing NASA’s new Data Lake). Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer is the President & CEO of the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC.