Trump cites Colorado's mail-in voting in moving military space HQ to Alabama

Trump cites Colorado's mail-in voting in moving military space HQ to Alabama

U.S. military operations in space will soon be led from Huntsville, Alabama.President Donald Trumpannounced he is moving U.S. Space Command headquarters out of Colorado Springs, Colorado, citing the state's use of mail-in voting as a "big factor" in the decision. "The problem I had with Colorado, one of the big problems, they do mail-in voting," Trump said. "When a state is for mail-in voting, that means they want dishonest elections ... so that played a big factor also." Trump also touted his support in conservative Alabama and slammed Colorado's Democratic governor as he announced the relocation, the latest move in a years-long partisan tussle over the military's space program. The Sept. 2 announcement reversesa move by President Joe Bidenoverturning Trump's 2021 decision to move Space Command to Alabama. Biden opted to keep the military's newest combatant command in Colorado, which has been the temporary headquarters since the military space program wasestablished in 2019. The Transportation Department plans to manage the capital's Union Station rail, subway and bus hub as part of the Trump administration'sincreasing control of DCtofight crimeand homeless encampments. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the move Aug. 27 afterPresident Donald Trumptookcontrol of the police departmentand mobilized hundreds ofNational Guard troops to DC, including at Union Station.Members of the National Guard carrying sidearms stand outside Union Station in Washington, D.C., on August 25, 2025. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Alabama, and other state leaders had pushed to make Alabama the permanent home of Space Command, battling with the Biden administration. "The Biden administration chose to make this political," said Sen. Katie Britt, R-Alabama, who joined Trump at the announcement along with Tuberville and other state officials. A report released by the Government Accountability Officein June 2022 found the Alabama site – Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville – to be the "preferred location" over five other locations. But Biden opted in 2023 to keep Space Command in Colorado, which proponents said was best for military readiness. "The deciding factor forPresident Bidenin deciding to keep Space Command in Colorado Springs was operational readiness, pure and simple," John Kirby, the National Security Council's former coordinator for strategic communications, said at the time. Tuberville and otherscontinued to pushfor the relocation, though. The senator is a close Trump ally, and Alabama is a state Trump carried by 30 percentage points. "I don't think that influenced my decision," Trump said of his Alabama victory. Trump lost Colorado by 11 points.Every voterin the state receives a mail-in ballot. The president has long railed against mail-in voting, recently trumpetinga possible executive orderto curtail mail ballots, despite statements from election experts, including those in his first administration, who saidmail-in voting is secure. Colorado's congressional delegation said in a statement that moving Space Command headquarters out of the state "weakens our national security at the worst possible time." "Moving Space Command sets our space defense apparatus back years, wastes billions of taxpayer dollars, and hands the advantage to the converging threats of China, Russia and North Korea," the statement continues. Trump has often linked federal funding decisions and politics. The president previously blocked a move to put the FBI's headquarters in Maryland, calling it a "liberal state," and suggested linking disaster aid in California to the state's policy decisions. Shifting Space Command to Huntsville would bring jobs and government spending to a state that has strongly backed the president. About 1,700 personnel work at Space Command, according to congressional records. Huntsville, home to NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and a major hub for defense contractors such as L3Harris and Lockheed Martin, has long lobbied for the Space Command headquarters. "We look forward to building a huge Space Command and having the Donald J. Trump Space Command center in Huntsville, Alabama," Tuberville said. Contributing: Reuters; Joey Garrison and Bart Jansen,USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Donald Trump moving U.S. Space Command to Huntsville, Albama

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

September 02, 2025

Trump cites Colorado's mail-in voting in moving military space HQ to Alabama

Trump cites Colorado's mail-in voting in moving military space HQ to Alabama U.S. military operations in space will soon be led from Hun...

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Trump blames the ‘so fake’ media for health rumors - but still sports a bruised hand in first appearance in days

Trump blames the 'so fake' media for health rumors - but still sports a bruised hand in first appearance in days

PresidentDonald Trumpslammed the "so fake" news media overswirling speculation about his declining health— but still hada bruised handduring his first public appearance in about a week. Trump seemed to be in good health as he joked alongside his MAGA allies while announcing that theU.S. Space Command headquarterswould move from Colorado to Alabama on Tuesday afternoon. It was the president's first appearance since an empty schedule over Labor Day weekend sparkedfrenziedonline rumors about his condition. When asked if he had seen that people were questioning whether he was dead or suffering from a serious health issue, Trump said he hadn't, but took the opportunity to slam the media. "Well, it's fake news. It's so fake. That's why the media has so little credibility. I knew they were saying, like, 'Is he OK? How's he feeling? What's wrong?" Trump told reporters. "It's also sort of a longer weekend, it's Labor Day Weekend...No, I was very active this Labor Day weekend." "I had heard that, but I didn't hear it to that extent," Trump said of the rumors. The announcement that the U.S. Space Command will be relocated to Huntsville, Alabama, dubbed "Rocket City," was Trump's first public engagement since amarathon three-hour cabinet meetinglast Tuesday. Despite the online concern, he was spotted going to his Virginia golf course Saturday. As word spread of Trump's lack of a public schedule over the holiday weekend, conspiracy theorists took to Google and social media to inquire about his condition. On Saturday, questions about Trump's health were among the top Google searches, while "Where is Donald Trump" was trending on X even as he was photographed going to the golf course. Eagle-eyed theorists also pointed to an interview Vice President J.D. Vance gave last week in which he said he was ready to assume the presidency if a "terrible tragedy occurred." In the same interview, however, Vance noted that Trump was in "incredibly good health." Trump addressed the concerns Sunday, writing, "NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE." His comments were linked back to a Truth Social post that made disparaging comments about former President Joe Biden's Health. The post was also made by a user who noted that the "media freaks out if Trump disappears for 24 hours." During the Tuesday briefing, Trump also noted he had been very active on Truth Social over the long weekend, telling reporters that he had "pretty poignant Truths," or posts. Trump shared dozens of posts on Truth Social over the holiday weekend, includingdeclarationsthat D.C. is now safe and acallto end mail-in voting. He also posteda bizarre rant, lashing out at a White House Rose Garden workerfor damaging a piece of stone. Trump's health has been under scrutiny for most of his second term, and speculation has continued to grow ever sincephotos of his swollen ankles and bruised handsbegan circulating online. White House officials, however, have insisted that the 79-year-old president haschronic venous insufficiency, a condition common amongst older people. The condition occurs when veins in the legs struggle to bring blood to the heart. Trump, who has frequently worn visible concealer on his right hand to cover up a recurring bruise, went makeup-free late last month while signing executive orders in the Oval Office. The White House and Trump's doctor have maintained that the president is in "excellent health" and that the hand bruise he often sports is the result offrequent handshakingand intake of aspirin.

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

September 02, 2025

Trump blames the ‘so fake’ media for health rumors - but still sports a bruised hand in first appearance in days

Trump blames the 'so fake' media for health rumors - but still sports a bruised hand in first appearance in days PresidentDonald Tru...

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Trump says he will order federal intervention in Chicago and Baltimore despite local opposition

Trump says he will order federal intervention in Chicago and Baltimore despite local opposition

WASHINGTON (AP) — PresidentDonald Trumpsaid Tuesday that he will direct federal law enforcement intervention to combat crime in Chicago and Baltimore, despitestaunch oppositionfrom elected leaders and many residents in both cities. Asked by reporters in the Oval Office about sending National Guard troops to the nation's third-largest city,Donald Trumpsaid, "We're going in," but added, "I didn't say when." "I have an obligation," the president said. "This isn't a political thing." Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker,a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender,scoffed at the notion of sending military troops and federal agents into Chicago,reiteratingTuesday that federal intervention was not required or wanted. Trump has already sent National Guard troops intoLos AngelesandWashington, D.C., where he's also federalized thepolice force.He has said he plans similar moves in other Democrat-run cities even as a federal judge on Tuesday deemed theCalifornia deployment illegal. Trump criticizes leaders in Chicago The president praised Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser for working with federal forces, but repeated his criticism ofPritzkerand Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a Democrat. Trump said he'd love to have Pritzker call and say, "Send in the troops" — even though the two-term governor has repeatedly said he won't be doing that. "If the governor of Illinois would call up, call me up, I would love to do it," Trump said. "Now, we're going to do it anyway. We have the right to do it." Pritzker deemed Trump's comments to call him for help as "unhinged." The two have been locked in an escalating war of words for days as Trump called Chicago "the world's most dangerous city" earlier Tuesday. "No, I will not call the president asking him to send troops to Chicago," Pritzker said Tuesday at a news conference with Johnson and other leaders. "I've made that clear already." Illinois notified of federal plan The state received its first contact about federal intervention on Saturday when the head of the Illinois State Police got a call from Gregory Bovino, chief of the Border Patrol's El Centro, California, sector, saying immigration agents would come to Chicago, according to Pritzker. The governor said no further details were offered. Pritzker urged the public not to let the presence of federal agents spark tensions in the city but asked residents to look out for neighbors, and to film interactions with federal agents and share them publicly. "Authoritarians thrive on your silence," he said. "Be loud for America." Chicago has beenbracing for the expanded federal presence, with activists, pastors and schools prepared for the deluge of national attention. Even without knowing exactly what is coming, the city's organizedactivist networkbegan circulating protest schedules, vowing to demonstrate within hours of troops or federal agents arriving. Themeasures are familiarin a city that has longtried to counteractTrump's bid to deport more people, including adding more staff at a hotline to reportimmigrationarrests. Dozens of pastors write a letter to Trump Tuesday saying the focus should instead be on underfunded schools and unemployment. "To the faithful of Chicago, I say this: prepare your hearts for resistance," the letter said. Crime in Chicago Johnson said violence in the city stems from guns on the streets that are trafficked to Illinois from neighboring states, including Republican-led Indiana. "Chicago will continue to have a violence problem as long as red states continue to have a gun problem," Johnson said. Echoing atrend in other major U.S. cities, Chicago's violent crime has dropped significantly overall, though it remains a persistent issue in parts of the city. Recently, the Trump administration has renewed interest in the city's daily crime log, including using aspate of shootingsduring the Labor Day weekend as justification for increased military presence. Chicago's homicide rate is 21.7 per 100,000 residents in 2024, according to analysis of federal crime data by the Rochester Institute of Technology. It cites seven other major U.S. cities — St. Louis, New Orleans, Detroit, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Indianapolis and Richmond, Virginia — with higher rates. Chicago reported 573 homicides in 2024, the most of any U.S. city that year. But violent crime dropped significantly in the first half of the year, representing the steepest decline in over a decade, according to city data. Shootings and homicides were down more than 30% in the first half of 2025 compared to the same time last year. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has said the city and state will sue once the federal intervention begins. Trump says intervention in Baltimore is necessary Trump also said Tuesday that he has an "obligation to protect this country, and that includes Baltimore." Local officials there have joined Democratic Maryland Gov. Wes Moore in similarly opposing federal law enforcement intervention. A spokesperson for Moore said deploying the National Guard was "theatrical and not sustainable." Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott listed some of the city's recent accomplishments in curbing gun violence. Scott has repeatedly accused the president of using racist rhetoric and targeting Black-led cities, like Baltimore and Chicago. "Here's the reality in Baltimore," Scott wrote on X, noting that Baltimore homicides have reached historic lows amid sustained declines including the lowest number of homicides on record for the month of August. Trump said his efforts in Washington have ensured it "is now a safe zone. We have no crime." The White House announced separately Tuesday that more than 1,650 people have been arrested since the Trump administration first mobilized federal officials on Aug. 7. "And this city was really bad," Trump said. He said, "we're really proud of" federal efforts to curb crime in Washington. ___ Associated Press writers Lea Skene in Baltimore and Brian Witte in Annapolis, Maryland, contributed to this report. Tareen reported from Chicago.

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

September 02, 2025

Trump says he will order federal intervention in Chicago and Baltimore despite local opposition

Trump says he will order federal intervention in Chicago and Baltimore despite local opposition WASHINGTON (AP) — PresidentDonald Trumpsaid ...

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U.S. Track Star At Paris Olympics Suddenly Drops Out Of World Championships

U.S. Track Star At Paris Olympics Suddenly Drops Out Of World Championships

AUSTIN, Texas — Olympic champion Gabby Thomas will miss this month's track world championships with an Achilles tendon injury she's been dealing with since May. Thomas, the American whowon the 200-meter sprint in Parisand was on both the 4x100 and 4x400 meter gold-medal relay teams, said she exacerbated the injury in July. "I understand that it will be disappointing for some track fans to hear this news, but I've finally come to the realization that it's OK to be human and take care of myself," Thomas said in a statement sent out Tuesday to announce the news. The world championships run Sept. 13-21 in Tokyo. Thomas did not look in top form last month at U.S. nationals, where she rallied to secure the third and final spot in the 200 by .001 seconds. The 28-year-old Thomas said she plans on competing in 2026. University Of Kentucky Cheerleader Arrested After Infant Found Dead In Trash Bag: Cops Olympic Legend And Gay Icon Joins Celebrity Exodus From U.S. Belichick's UNC Coaching Debut Was So Bad, ESPN Made Adorable Change In Booth Read the original on HuffPost

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

September 02, 2025

U.S. Track Star At Paris Olympics Suddenly Drops Out Of World Championships

U.S. Track Star At Paris Olympics Suddenly Drops Out Of World Championships AUSTIN, Texas — Olympic champion Gabby Thomas will miss this mon...

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Micah Parsons reportedly made last-ditch effort to sign extension with Cowboys 2 days before Packers trade

Micah Parsons reportedly made last-ditch effort to sign extension with Cowboys 2 days before Packers trade

Despite all the vitriol between Micah Parsons and the Dallas Cowboys, the star pass rusher made one last-ditch effort to try and get a deal done. Two days before he was traded to the Green Bay Packers, Parsons had his agentreach out to the Cowboysto try and bury the hatchet, according to ESPN. Parsons' agent David Mulugheta reportedly sent an email to Jerry and Stephen Jones, telling the pair Mulugheta would come to Dallas or hop on a video call to hammer out a deal. Jerry Jones reportedly shut that down, saying Parsons would need toplay on his fifth-year optionif he stayed with the Cowboys in 2025, per ESPN. Jerry Jones responded to the message, saying the Cowboys were prepping a trade and if Parsons wanted to play in Dallas in 2025, he would have to do so on his fifth-year option. Parsons would become a free agent in 2026, but the team could also use the franchise tag to prevent his departure at that point. The team could use the franchise tag on Parsons twice if he played out his fifth-year option, somethingJones indicated multiple timeshe would do with Parsons. The threat created a scenario where Parsons would have played on three consecutive one-year deals with the Cowboys unless he agreed to a deal Jones believed the pair negotiated during aMarch meeting in which Mulugheta was not present. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Shortly after that, Mulugheta was allowed to engage in contract talks with the Packers. The team reportedly made a formal offer for Parsons the following day, and the deal eventually was completed. Mulugheta then worked out arecord-breaking extensionfor Parsons with the Packers. Those negotiations were "transparent and fast," a source told ESPN. Mulugheta didn't go into that much detail about the situation during an appearance on ESPN's "First Take" on Tuesday, though he confirmed Parsons wanted to make it work with the Cowboys. Micah Parsons' agent David Mulugheta addressed the contract negotiations between Parsons and the Cowboys 👀pic.twitter.com/V53QSjzFex — Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports)September 2, 2025 That obviously did not happen, and Parsons now finds himself in Green Bay. He'll get a chance to show the Cowboys they made the wrong decision in Week 4, when the team travels to Dallas to take on the Cowboys. Tuesday's report suggests it didn't have to end that way. Even with both sides fighting publicly, Parsons and Mulugheta tried to give it one more go with the Cowboys. If Parsons continues to play at a similar level with his new team, Cowboys fans will be left wondering what could have happened had cooler heads prevailed at the 11th hour.

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

September 02, 2025

Micah Parsons reportedly made last-ditch effort to sign extension with Cowboys 2 days before Packers trade

Micah Parsons reportedly made last-ditch effort to sign extension with Cowboys 2 days before Packers trade Despite all the vitriol between M...

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