Trump’s reelection reignites battle over Space Command location
President-elect Donald Trump could be moving the U.S. Space Command headquarters from Colorado to Alabama. That’s according to Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., who said on Mobile radio show FM Talk 106.5, he’s expecting Trump to do it during his first week in office.
“I’ve told y’all since Biden made that crooked decision, it wasn’t going to work,” Rogers said. “As you know, on the armed services committee, I put a hold on any money being spent in Colorado Springs after President Biden came in and stole that mission away.”
“And I told everybody then that Colorado Springs will not be the future capital or location of space command,” Rodgers continued. “It will be Huntsville, Alabama, who won at fair and square.”
During Trump’s first administration, he ordered to move Space Command from Colorado Springs to Huntsville, which the Department of Defense named as the “preferred permanent location” for space command in 2022.
However, in 2023 President Biden reversed Trump’s order making the call to keep it in Colorado Springs.
Now, Rogers said the Trump administration will start construction next year on a new space command in Huntsville.
However, incoming the Republican congressman from Colorado Springs, Jeff Crank, is opposing the move.
“With Donald Trump, you never know,” Crank said in a statement to AL.com. “He changes his positions and his stance on issues by the day, and sometimes by the hour. If he wants to build out the space force and space command and have it meet the national security moment and our threats, then he will keep it here.”
A spokesperson for Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., said he would also work to keep Space Command in Colorado Springs.
Space Command is separate from the Space Force and provides combatant commanders with support such as weather monitoring, space control and surveillance.
Harris introduces Walz; Vance speaks to supporters during Philly rallies
Vice President Kamala Harris introduced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate while Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance spoke to supporters during separate rallies in Philadelphia. And U.S. officials say a Pakistani national with ties to the Iranian government has been arrested in connection with a plot to kill American politicians. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024.
Harris introduces Walz; Vance speaks to supporters during Philly rallies
Both major political parties made a showing in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Aug. 6. Vice President Kamala Harris and her newly picked running mate Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., held their first rally together. In a dueling rally nearby, former President Donald Trump’s running mate Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, made his first stop in the city since joining the Republican ticket.
Harris joined Walz on stage in front of thousands of people at a rally and in front of millions of voters across the country who tuned in.
Polls show 71% of Americans are not familiar with Walz. The Minnesota governor got the opportunity to introduce himself in battleground territory and took aim at the vice presidential pick on the other side.
“Like all regular people, I grew up with in the heartland,” Walz told supporters. “J.D. studied at Yale, had his career funded by Silicon Valley billionaires and then wrote a bestseller trashing that community. Come on. That’s not what middle America is. And I got to tell you, I can’t wait to debate the guy.”
At Vance’s rally, he responded to the news of Walz being Harris’ selection for vice president.
“Tim Walz’s record is a joke,” Vance said. “He’s been one of the most far left radicals in the entire United States government at any level. But I think that what Tim Walz’s selection says is that Kamala Harris has bent the knee to the far left of her party, which is what she always does.”
Vance also criticized Harris for not doing a sit-down interview with the media since becoming the presumptive nominee of the Democrat Party 17 days ago.
Harris will be hitting at least five battleground states in the days to come as the Democratic National Convention (DNC) approaches later in August.
Trump announces ‘major interview’ with Elon Musk
Former President Trump has announced he will be sitting down with Elon Musk for an interview on Monday, Aug. 12. Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social platform Tuesday, Aug. 6, saying, “On Monday night [Aug. 12] I’ll be doing a major interview with Elon Musk — details to follow.”
In July, the tech mogul endorsed Trump following the assassination attempt on the former president during a rally in Pennsylvania.
Pakistani national with ties to Iran charged in Trump assassination plot
The Department of Justice says it’s arrested a Pakistani national with ties to the Iranian government in connection with a plot to kill American politicians and officials. Multiple sources said one of the main targets was former President Trump.
Asif Merchant, 46, is charged with murder for hire after DOJ officials said he flew from Pakistan to the U.S. to recruit hitmen for the plot. They said one of the so-called “hitmen” he contacted was a confidential informant for the FBI.
Trump’s security was increased in June after authorities learned of an Iranian plot to kill him. This was before the assassination attempt at a Butler, Pennsylvania rally and is not related to those events, according to the FBI.
Officials said there’s been dozens of aftershocks ranging in magnitude between 2.5 and 4.5 following the initial rumblings that began around 9 p.m. local time. Seismologists called it “a pretty active sequence in such a short amount of time.”
Hamas names Oct. 7 attack mastermind as new leader
Hamas has named its new leader following the assassination of former leader Ismail Haniyehin Iran. Yahyah Sinwar, known as the mastermind behind the Oct. 7 attack, is now leading the terror group.
The move is likely to provoke Israel, which has had Sinwar at the top of its most wanted list since that deadly attack ten months ago. The Israeli military responded to Sinwar’s appointment, vowing to take him out as well.
Cori Bush loses Missouri primary; Michigan Senate race is set
Media projections show Democratic congresswoman and “squad” member Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., lost her primary race in Missouri Tuesday, Aug. 6. Bush has been a vocal critic of Israel in its war against Hamas, and pro-Israel groups spent upwards of $10 million on efforts to unseat her.
In Michigan, a battleground territory, former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers won the Republican nomination for a U.S. Senate seat, setting him up to face Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin in the November election.
Restaurant chain Buca di Beppo files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
The restaurant chain Buca di Beppo has filed for bankruptcy protection. The privately owned company says revenue never fully recovered after the COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of its bankruptcy, the three-decade-old business said it began closing underperforming restaurants this year, including a dozen locations in July alone.
It will also restructure the rest of its 44 locations, but said it will continue to serve its family-size portions that has been Buca’s staple.
Hocker, Thomas bring home gold for the US on the track
The U.S. took home two Olympic gold medals on the track in Paris on Tuesday. That brings the team’s gold medal count to 24 and the overall total to 86.
First, Cole Hocker won the men’s 1,500-meter relay, coming from behind in the final seconds to set an Olympic record at 3 minutes and 27.65 seconds.
Then Gabby Thomas earned her first Olympic gold medal, winning the women’s 200-meter final after taking the bronze back in Tokyo. Thomas crossed the finish line in 21.83 seconds to give the U.S. its first gold in the event in 12 years.
19.5% pay raise for junior enlisted troops faces White House opposition
A bipartisan push in Congress that aims to provide junior enlisted troops with a 19.5% pay raise is facing a significant obstacle: the White House. The proposal, which supplements the 4.5% raise requested by President Joe Biden in his budget, would grant junior enlisted troops an additional 15% pay increase. The estimated cost of this raise over the period from 2025 to 2029 is $24.4 million.
The House Armed Services Committee overwhelmingly approved the pay raise as part of the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act. Committee Chair Mike Rogers, R-Ala., emphasized that the package is grounded in research conducted by the Bipartisan Quality of Life Panel in collaboration with the Defense Department.
Rogers expressed concern about military families relying on food banks, SNAP and WIC to put food on the table. According to the Servicemember Compensation Report, 25% of service members face food insecurity and their pay has not kept pace with inflation since 2020.
The White House Budget Office reaffirmed its commitment to service members and their families but opposes making a significant, permanent change to the basic pay schedule before the Pentagon completes its quadrennial compensation review.
In January, service members received a 5.2% basic pay increase, the largest since 2003, according to the Biden administration. Rogers criticized Biden for holding off on making the change.
“Instead of supporting this commonsense proposal, President Biden is once again turning his back on our service members,” Rogers said. “I believe wholeheartedly that the brave Americans who serve in our armed forces shouldn’t have to worry about making ends meet, unfortunately, President Biden doesn’t feel the same.”
Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., highlighted the struggles of junior enlisted troops in affording housing costs. He praised the proposed pay hike as a bold step to support service members, which would aid recruitment and retention efforts.
The House of Representatives will likely vote on the defense bill on Friday, June 14. The Senate is also working on similar legislation.
Report: Israel agrees to provide security for US in Gaza pier construction
On Thursday, March 7, President Joe Biden announced during his State of the Union address that the U.S. military would be building a temporary pier off the coast of Gaza to help in the delivery of humanitarian aid. Now, despite being at odds over a cease-fire, Israel is agreeing to provide a “security bubble” for the U.S. pier project, according to Politico.
Officials familiar with the project told Politico that Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will be responsible for securing the pier to the beach. However, the project is still in the planning stages and nothing is entirely settled.
A spokesperson confirmed that the IDF will be “coordinating with the U.S. military to facilitate the project” but didn’t provide other details.
According to the United Nations, people in Gaza are facing “imminent famine” as the Israel-Hamas war continues. Once the pier is complete, it will reportedly be used to deliver more than 2 million meals per day.
The U.S. also said that the pier will provide a better way to deliver aid, especially in the wake of deadly incidents involving air-dropped parcels. Twelve Palestinians drowned off the northern Gaza coast trying to reach air-dropped aid parcels, which had landed in the sea.
Another five people were killed in a separate incident involving an air drop, when a parachute failed to deploy properly on a parcel, killing people on the ground. The completion of the U.S.-made pier would eliminate the need for air drops.
However, constructing the pier will take some time. Officials said that the building process will take around two months. When the pier is finished, it will be a floating pier three to five miles offshore and have an 1,800-foot causeway anchored to the beach to be used by ships to offload aid onto.
After aid is taken off the ships, trucks will load it and distribute the aid into Gaza. In order to ensure the pier is completed, workers need to be kept safe.
How the IDF will provide security and “secure” the pier is still unknown. Due to the uncertainty surrounding the project, some lawmakers have serious questions about how the construction process will go.
Rep. Mike Rogers, D-Ala., accused Biden of being politically motivated to build the pier. He cited a protest vote in Michigan’s Democratic primary, in which a large swath of voters wrote in “uncommitted” because of U.S. support for Israel’s military efforts. According to Rogers, this pushed Biden to move “really fast” on the pier. Rogers and some other Democrats reportedly want more answers.
The White House said no American troops will be on the ground to build the pier. However, when asked how that would happen, specifics were not given. The Pentagon said the U.S. military has “unique capabilities” and can do things from just “offshore.”
Pentagon reveals Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was diagnosed with prostate cancer
The Pentagon has released more information concerning the health of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. After being diagnosed with prostate cancer in December, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, 70, underwent a “minimally invasive” surgery, which led to his hospitalization. According to Austin’s doctors, he underwent surgery on Dec. 22; a week later, he reported severe pain in his abdomen, hip, and leg.
Unbeknown to anyone in the White House or his own staff, Austin was taken to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Jan. 1 and treated for a urinary tract infection. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on Tuesday, Jan. 9, even the president was kept in the dark about the diagnosis.
“Nobody at the White House knew that Secretary Austin had prostate cancer until this morning,” Kirby said. “And the president was informed immediately after.”
Doctors said that Austin’s cancer was detected early, and the prognosis was excellent. Still, questions about transparency within the Defense Department persist, as up until Tuesday, Jan. 9, it was believed that Austin underwent an elective medical procedure, not prostate surgery. It is still not clear how or if the cancer diagnosis will affect Austin’s work.
House Republicans have launched a formal inquiry into where and why communication collapsed, viewing the incident evidence of dereliction of duty.
“With wars in Ukraine and Israel, the idea that the White House and even your own Deputy did not understand the nature of your condition is patently unacceptable,” Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., said in a letter to Austin.
Jim Jordan feels ‘real good’ about chances of becoming next House speaker
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, has convinced key Republicans to support his bid to be the next House Speaker. Jordan spent the weekend making phone calls and meeting with members after a secret ballot Friday indicated about 50 Republicans opposed his nomination.
The new supporters include House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala.
“@Jim_Jordan and I have had two cordial, thoughtful, and productive conversations over the past two days,” Rogers posted on X, formerly Twitter. “We agreed on the need for Congress to pass a strong NDAA, appropriations to fund our government’s vital functions, and other important legislation like the Farm Bill.”
Jordan also gained the backing of Appropriations Defense Subcommittee Chairman Ken Calvert, R-Calif., and Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo., who had called Jordan a “non-starter”.
While Jordan is winning over lawmakers who had previously opposed him, he’s not out of the woods just yet. He can only lose four Republican votes and some members of the party may vote for Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., as a protest.
SAN caught up with Jordan outside his office.
Jordan: I feel real good. I think we’re close.
Bogan: What’s your message to the members who are still holdouts?
Jordan: Well, it’s just time to come together. You can’t do the work of the American people if you don’t have a speaker. So we need to unite and get a speaker and I think it’s important that the members make this decision, not any kind of pressure from folks around the country. It’s up to members and I feel good about where members are at. We’re having great discussions, so I feel good about tomorrow.
Bogan: Some members say they’re gonna have a challenger on the floor. Are you concerned about that?
Jordan: No.
An official vote for Speaker is expected on the House floor on Tuesday, Oct. 17 at noon, regardless of whether Jordan has the 217 votes he needs to be elected.
As space race heats up, Biden’s Space Command decision under investigation
During the Trump administration, it was decided the United States Space Command was to be moved from Colorado to Alabama. The move would have brought 1,400 jobs and $1 billion in annual economic spending to the town of Huntsville.
However, Alabama is having to walk back its celebration after the Biden administration reversed course and announced that the Space Command will remain in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Right now, countries are advancing their turf out of this world. The U.S., Russia and China are all in a race to create new, more advanced space stations.
The increased competition is why the U.S. Space Command post is so important. Its purpose is to report the military’s activities in orbit to the secretary of defense by collecting communications, controlling navigation and monitoring any potential spying from above.
It serves as the hub of the United States’ own intelligence on space exploration. The city where it’s built also benefits from it economically.
In 2019, then-President Trump’s decision to move it out of Colorado to Alabama was criticized as a political move. His critics said Trump was taking away the accolade from a blue state and handing it to a red one.
Now, Biden is getting the opposite criticism. He is being accused by lawmakers like Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, of reversing the Command’s departure from a blue state because his administration doesn’t want it moved to a red one.
Rogers has launched an investigation into whether the move was politically motivated. For now, the idea is just speculation.
Huntsville, Alabama, is dubbed “Rocket City” due to its billions of dollars in space research, development programs and NASA center. The Pentagon said its decision to keep it in Colorado Springs comes down to the military readiness of the Command.
According to the Pentagon, by moving the government facility, it would slow down its operations at a time U.S. officials are being forced to prioritize space exploration because of China’s and Russia’s recent advancements and interests.