WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Air Force, Troy Meink, appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee Thursday for his nomination hearing and committed to building up the U.S. Space Force he would oversee.
Alabama lawmakers have repeatedly said that once the Air Force secretary gets confirmed, they expect to see Space Command headquarters move to Huntsville from Colorado. And other state leaders have remained confident that the headquarters will move to Alabama under the Trump administration.
U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., a member of the Armed Services Committee, said the secretary will be responsible for choosing the location for SPACECOM headquarters.
“Rest assured that I will be reminding him of the multiple studies confirming that Huntsville is the best place for SPACECOM on the basis of infrastructure, cost, mission capability and the quality of the local community,” Tuberville told reporters ahead of the hearing.
Meink is the principal deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office, which is responsible for spy satellites, and previously served as deputy undersecretary of the Air Force for Space. Three Defense Department undersecretaries also had their nomination hearings alongside Meink.
Meink emphasized the role of the U.S. Space Force and the need to further invest in space. Space Command directs military space operations, from communications and intelligence gathering to missile defense and radar.
“The Space Force is in the process of growing,” Meink said. “I will support that activity to make sure we have the right numbers and the right skillset.”
Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth is also in Washington at the White House this week advocating for Space Command headquarters to move to Redstone Arsenal.
I am at the White House today to discuss widening I-65 from the Tennessee line to the Gulf of America, relocating Space Command to its rightful home in Huntsville, and other issues important to Alabama and its future. It’s good that President Trump loves our Sweet Home Alabama. pic.twitter.com/JGiElPUAtZ
— Will Ainsworth (@willainsworthAL) March 27, 2025
The Air Force announced in January 2021 that a study of criteria such as mission capability and costs resulted in Redstone ranking No. 1 as a location for Space Command. The U.S. Department of Defense Inspector General and the U.S. Government Accountability Office conducted a review of the selection process. The DoD IG review found that the search “was reasonable in identifying Huntsville as the preferred permanent location.”
“I look forward to… getting him quickly confirmed so we can continue the process of bringing SPACECOM to its rightful home in Huntsville,” Tuberville said.
U.S. Rep. Dale Strong, R-Huntsville, reiterated his excitement and confidence of bringing Space Command to Huntsville once the Air Force Secretary gets in place.
“I believe those facts are still there, and I trust that any secretary of the Air Force will recommend Redstone Arsenal,” Strong told Alabama Daily News.
Tuberville didn’t ask about Space Command in his questioning of Meink Thursday. Instead, he asked him about how to recruit engineers to the military instead of having them go to the private sector for jobs.
Tuberville mentioned his recent visit to Redstone Arsenal last week and highlighted the part it plays in creating high-energy laser systems.
A committee vote for Meink’s nomination has not yet been scheduled yet. Once he passes out of committee, Meink’s nomination will go before the full Senate.