WASHINGTON

US President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the headquarters of US Space Command (SPACECOM) will be relocated from the state of Colorado to Huntsville, Alabama.

Trump called Huntsville a "beautiful locale," which he said will "forever be known from this point forward as Rocket City."

"In Huntsville, SPACECOM will play a key role in building the golden dome, as you know, that's going to be a big thing," Trump said in the Oval Office.

"Everybody wants to be a participant in it, missile defense shield. We're going to be having a golden dome the likes of which nobody's ever seen before, the finest, the best, and by the way, Canada called, they want to be a part of it, and that'll be great," he added.

SPACECOM is currently headquartered in Colorado Springs after former President Joe Biden halted plans in 2023 to move the command to Alabama, in part, out of concern that moving the command would jeopardize operational readiness.

The decision elicited fury from Alabama officials, and Trump alluded to behind-the-scenes lobbying that led him to announce the relocation.

"They fought very hard to get it, and it's an honor to give it to Huntsville," said Trump, referring to Alabama politicians who joined him for the announcement.

The president linked his decision, in part, to Colorado's use of mail-in voting, which he claimed makes for "automatically crooked elections." He acknowledged that the practice was a "big factor" in his decision.

"We can't have that. When the state is for mail-in voting, that means they want dishonest elections, because that's what that means," he said. "Anytime you have mail-in voting, you have corrupt elections. Very simple. It's very simple."

Alabama also allows voters to cast their ballot via mail.