President Donald Trump has announced that U.S. Space Force Command is moving from Colorado to Huntsville, Alabama.

Trump said that the location would be renamed Rocket City in honor of the base.

The president’s televised announcement, from the Oval Office Tuesday, was the first time Trump has made public remarks on camera since last Tuesday.

What To Know

Stay with Newsweek for the latest updates.


03:17 PM EDT

Donald Trump responds to health concerns, death rumors

President Donald Trump reacted to speculation about his health that has dominated the conversation on social media over the past week.

Fox News’ Peter Doocy asked the president, “[A]bout a big viral social media trend over the weekend: How did you find out over the weekend that you were dead? Did you see that?”

Trump responded, “No.”

Doocy then said, “People didn’t see you for a couple days. 1.3 million user engagements as of Saturday morning about your demise.” Trump replied, “Really?”

After Doocy asked again, “You didn’t see that?”

Trump said, “Well, I didn’t see that. You know, I have heard it’s sort of crazy, but last week, I did numerous news conferences, all successful. They went very well. Like this is going very well and then I didn’t do any for two days and they said there must be something wrong with him. Biden wouldn’t do them for months, you wouldn’t see him and nobody ever said there was ever anything wrong with him and we know he wasn’t in the greatest of shape. No, I heard that. I get reports now. You knew I did an interview that lasted for about an hour and a half with somebody, and everybody saw that was on one of your competitors. I did numerous shows and also did a number of Truths, long Truths, I think pretty poignant truths. No, I was very active over the weekend. They also knew I went out to visit some people at the at the club that I own pretty nearby on the Potomac River. And no, I’ve been very active actually, over the weekend. I didn’t hear that one. That’s pretty serious stuff.”


03:15 PM EDT

Where is Huntsville, Alabama?

Huntsville is a city located in northern Alabama, nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. It sits mainly in Madison County, though parts of the city also stretch into neighboring Limestone and Morgan Counties. The city lies close to the Tennessee border and is part of the larger Tennessee Valley region, which is known for its rolling hills, rivers, and strong ties to aerospace and defense industries.

Geographically, Huntsville is about 100 miles north of Birmingham, Alabama, and roughly 110 miles south of Nashville, Tennessee. Its strategic location and proximity to other Southern hubs, along with its connection to the Tennessee River, have helped make it a center for technology, research, and U.S. military space programs.


03:02 PM EDT

JD Vance says he lobbies to have Space Command in Ohio but lost to Alabama

Speaking in the Oval Office, Vice President JD Vance said that he had lobbied Donald Trump to move U.S. Space Command to Ohio, but he had lost out to Alabama.

“I lobbied the president hard to put it in Ohio, but he said, these people behind us, these Alabamans, are just too powerful and too persuasive. And so it’s in Alabama.

“This is exactly the right place for Space Force and Space Command. I think Americans ought to appreciate and appreciate the fact that you can’t win the battle of the future unless you control the skies, the cyber security, the communications, the entire infrastructure of the battle and the 21st Century will be in space.

“It was a visionary move in the first administration for the President to set up Space Force, I think an equally visionary move to make sure the Space Force is right where it should be in Huntsville, Alabama.”


02:57 PM EDT

Pete Hegseth says Space Command will ensure US stays ahead in space

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that U.S. Space Command’s new location in Huntsville, Alabama, will help the United States win the Space Race.

“We are we are way ahead in space, but this will ensure we stay leaps and bounds ahead, because that’s the most important domain,” Hegseth said at the White House announcement on Tuesday.

“Whoever controls the skies will control the future of warfare, and Mr. President, today you’re ensuring that happens.”


02:54 PM EDT

Trump said that Alabama Space Force Comannd to play role in Golden Dome

President Trump said that the U.S. Space Force Command center in Huntsville, Alabama, will play “a key role in building the Golden Dome.”

Trump previously announced plans for the missile defense shield, modeled on Israel’s Iron Dome.

“Everybody wants to be a participant in it, the missile defense shield, we’re going to be having a Golden Dome that the likes of which, nobody’s ever seen before…. Canada called they want to be a part of it and that’ll be great.”


02:50 PM EDT

Trump announces Space Force Command moving to Alabama

President Donald Trump has announced that U.S. Space Force Command is moving from Colorado to Huntsville, Alabama.

Trump said that the location would be renamed Rocket City in honor of the base.


02:48 PM EDT

Has Trump’s announcement been delayed?

Trump’s big announcement was set to start at 2 p.m. ET but as of 2.30 p.m., journalists were still gathered at the White House press room doors.


02:32 PM EDT

White House press pool still waiting for Trump announcement to begin

White House press pool reporters are still waiting for President Donald Trump’s announcement to begin, according to Benjamin Alvarez Gruber, U.S. Correspondent for Deutsche Welle.

Trump’s big announcement was set to start at 2 p.m. ET but as of 2.30 p.m., journalists were still gathered at the White House press room doors.



02:27 PM EDT

Trump appears on Scott Jennings Radio Show ahead of White House announcement

President Donald Trump called in to conservative radio host Scott Jennings’s Tuesday show, ahead of his big White House announcement.

Trump gave a wide ranging interview on the Scott Jennings Radio Show, as he discussed the Washington D.C. crackdown, the war in Ukraine and tariffs.

It is the first time that Trump has spoken publicly since last week.

Some commenters, including independent news network the MeidasTouch Network, noted that the president’s voice appeared to sound a little croaky or “rough.”



02:15 PM EDT

How to watch Trump’s announcement today

Donald Trump is scheduled to make a formal announcement on Tuesday at 2 p.m. ET, from the Oval Office.

The president is running a little late but is expected to begin his television announcement at any moment.

The announcement will be broadcast live on C-Span, here at Newsweek and across most major platforms.

Where to find a livestream:

Newsweek’s livestream is available here on our live blog.


02:05 PM EDT

Homeland Security offering bonuses to police departments, officers who take part in immigration enforcement

The Department of Homeland Security has announced it will offer local police departments and state local enforcement “performance bonuses” for successful operations with immigration enforcement.

Starting on October 1, law enforcement agencies can receive “monetary performance awards based on the successful location of illegal aliens provided by ICE and overall assistance to further ICE’s mission to Defend the Homeland.”

Individual officers participating in the 287(g) program could receive up to $1,000 each.


01:53 PM EDT

WATCH LIVE: Watch Newsweek’s live stream coverage of Trump’s announcement


01:45 PM EDT

White House responds judge ruling military deployment in LA was illegal

The White House has responded to a judge’s ruling that the administration’s deployment of the National Guard in L.A. was illegal.

“Once again, a rogue judge is trying to usurp the authority of the Commander-in-Chief to protect American cities from violence and destruction,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told Newsweek via email.

“President Trump saved Los Angeles, which was overrun by deranged leftist lunatics sowing mass chaos until he stepped in.

“While far-left courts try to stop President Trump from carrying out his mandate to Make America Safe Again, the President is committed to protecting law-abiding citizens, and this will not be the final say on the issue.”

NEW: White House pushes back against federal judge’s opinion calling Trump’s National Guard deployment to Los Angeles illegal.

“Once again, a rogue judge is trying to usurp the authority of the Commander-in-Chief to protect American cities from violence and destruction.…

— Jon Michael Raasch (@JMRaasch) September 2, 2025


01:35 PM EDT

Hegseth set to join Trump for announcement

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to join President Donald Trump for his announcement about the Defense Department at 2 p.m. Eastern time in the Oval Office.

Hegseth, who is expected to speak at the event, has previously supported the president’s calls for the Defense Department to be renamed as the Department of War.


01:26 PM EDT

What is the Posse Comitatus Act?

The Posse Comitatus Act (1878) is a federal law that restricts the U.S. military from acting as a domestic police force.

Originally applying to the Army, it was later extended to the Air Force—and by policy to the Navy and Marine Corps.

It was created after the Civil War to prevent federal troops from being used to enforce civilian laws in peacetime. Its purpose is to maintain a clear line between military and civilian authority in the United States.

There are exceptions, such as when the National Guard operates under state authority or when the Insurrection Act is invoked, allowing the president to deploy troops during major unrest or emergencies.


01:21 PM EDT

Judge rules Trump’s use of National Guard in LA violated law

Judge Charles Breyer ruled Tuesday that President Donald Trump‘s use of the National Guard to quell immigration protests in Los Angeles over the summer is illegal and “violated” a nearly 150-year-old federal law.

Breyer cited the Posse Comitatus Act in 1878, which prohibits the use of the U.S. military to execute domestic law.

“Nearly 140 years later, Defendants—President Trump, Secretary of Defense [Pete] Hegseth, and the Department of Defense—deployed the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles, ostensibly to quell a rebellion and ensure that federal immigration law was enforced,” Breyer wrote in his ruling, as he granted an injunction.

“There were indeed protests in Los Angeles, and some individuals engaged in violence. Yet there was no rebellion, nor was civilian law enforcement unable to respond to the protests and enforce the law.”

Breyer also wrote in the 52-page ruling that nearly three months after National Guard troops were first deployed to Los Angeles, 300 National Guard members remain stationed there.

Breyer froze the injunction until noon on September 12, which could provide the Trump administration with time to challenge the ruling in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.

“Once again, a rogue judge is trying to usurp the authority of the Commander-in-Chief to protect American cities from violence and destruction,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told Newsweek via email. “President Trump saved Los Angeles, which was overrun by deranged leftist lunatics sowing mass chaos until he stepped in.

“While far-left courts try to stop President Trump from carrying out his mandate to Make America Safe Again, the President is committed to protecting law-abiding citizens, and this will not be the final say on the issue.”


01:14 PM EDT

Walter Reed responds to Melania Trump hospital rumors

Walter Reed Medical Center in Maryland has responded to viral rumors that Melania Trump visited the facility last week amid speculation surrounding the health of President Donald Trump.

When asked about the first lady’s alleged tour, a spokesperson for the hospital declined to comment and directed Newsweek to the White House. Newsweek had previously contacted the White House for a response via email.

This comes after veterinary technician student Coral Ben Atar posted to the Instagram-linked social-media app Threads on Saturday to say she had seen Melania Trump at Walter Reed on Thursday. Newsweek reached out to Ben Atar for comment via direct message on Threads.

“Went to Walter Reed on Thursday to be monitored in Labor/Delivery because I’m very pregnant,” wrote Ben Atar, who goes by the username denakisland2.0 on Threads and Instagram. “Mid being monitored in triage, guess who showed up for an unscheduled “tour” of L&D? Melania Trump. Even the staff was confused as to why she was there.” Ben Atar’s post soon spread, and her claims were shared by users on other social media platforms amid online speculation about the whereabouts and well-being of the president, who at that time had not been seen in public since a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

“Looking at news reports that Trump has disappeared I find it a little odd that melania [sic] was randomly roaming the halls of Walter Reed only to follow with reports that her husband is MIA,” Ben Atar added.

The rumors at the end of last week even went so far as to say the president had passed away, although these were soon stifled when Trump shared a photo on Truth Social, showing him playing golf with American football coach Jon Gruden.


01:08 PM EDT

Trump resignation chances surge before White House announcement—Polymarket

The chances of Donald Trump resigning have spiked over the last day on a cryptocurrency-based prediction market following speculation about the U.S. president’s health and absence from public engagements over the last week.

Polymarket increased the chances of a presidential resignation after the Trump administration said there would be an Oval Office news conference at 2 p.m. ET Tuesday without specifying the reason for the event.

However, later White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told Newsweek in a statement “the President will be making an exciting announcement related to the Department of Defense.”

The event follows days of speculation about Trump which included false claims he had died, and rumors of major health issues. Trump appeared to quash the rumors with a Truth Social post and he has been pictured in recent days heading to his golf course.

Read in full from Brendan Cole on Newsweek.


01:03 PM EDT

What time is Trump’s announcement today? How to watch

Donald Trump is scheduled to make a formal announcement on Tuesday at 2 p.m. ET, from the Oval Office.

The announcement will be broadcast live on C-Span, here at Newsweek and across most major platforms.


01:00 PM EDT

What military branches are under the Department of Defense?

The Department of Defense (DoD) oversees the core branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.

These include:

U.S. Army

The Army is the oldest and largest branch, responsible for land-based military operations. It handles everything from large-scale ground combat to peacekeeping and humanitarian missions.

U.S. Navy

The Navy operates primarily at sea, maintaining freedom of navigation and projecting power across the globe. It also supports aircraft carriers, submarines, and naval aviation units.

U.S. Marine Corps

The Marine Corps specializes in rapid-response, amphibious operations. Often the “first boots on the ground.” Marines are trained for fast, flexible missions combining air, land, and sea tactics.

U.S. Air Force

The Air Force manages air and space superiority. It operates fighter jets, bombers, transport aircraft, and unmanned drones, while also playing a crucial role in surveillance, reconnaissance, and global mobility.

U.S. Space Force

The newest branch, the Space Force, focuses on space operations such as satellite defense, missile warning systems, and maintaining U.S. security in outer space.

U.S. Coast Guard (in wartime)

Normally under the Department of Homeland Security, the Coast Guard shifts to DoD authority during wartime. It handles maritime law enforcement, search and rescue, and coastal defense.


12:57 PM EDT

What does the Department of Defense do?

The Department of Defense (DoD) is the U.S. government’s largest federal agency, responsible for protecting the nation and ensuring its security. Its mission spans military operations, strategic planning, and support for national interests both at home and abroad.

The DoD organizes, trains, and equips the U.S. Armed Forces—Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard (which during wartime falls under DoD authority). It oversees operations ranging from traditional warfare to modern cyber defense, ensuring readiness against potential threats.

It also manages hundreds of military bases around the world, allowing the U.S. to support allies, and respond quickly to crises such as conflicts, natural disasters, and humanitarian emergencies.

At home, it works with Congress to determine budgets, military funding, and weapons programs. It also provides housing, healthcare, education, and retirement benefits for millions of service members, veterans, and their families.

Lastly, the DoD funds and manages research in fields like aerospace, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and medical science. Many everyday technologies, such as GPS and the internet, trace their origins to military research.


12:47 PM EDT

Donald Trump’s approval rating falls again in key swing state

President Donald Trump‘s approval rating has declined again in North Carolina, a key swing state that he has won three times during his three presidential runs.

According to polling by Catawba College/YouGov, the President has a net approval rating of -9 percentage points in the state, the lowest it has fallen so far in his second term.

The pollsters found that 54 percent disapprove of Trump while 45 percent approve of him.

This is a decline from a previous Catawba College/YouGov poll of 1,000 North Carolinians, conducted in July, which found that 50 percent disapproved of the president while 46 percent said they approved.

That was a decline too from March, when the pollsters found that 48 percent approved and 47 percent disapproved.

Read in full from Kate Plummer on Newsweek.


12:34 PM EDT

History of the Department of Defense’s title

The U.S. Department of Defense was originally named the Department of War when it was established by President George Washington in 1789.

It carried that name for 158 years until the National Security Act of 1947 reorganized the U.S. military to bring the Department of the Navy, the newly independent Department of the Air Force, and the War Department under one umbrella, titled the National Military Establishment (NME).

Two years later, the NME was renamed the Department of Defense by amendments to the National Security Act.

President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have since mused about changing the name back to the Department of War.


12:25 PM EDT

What has Trump said about the Defense Department name change?

President Donald Trump said last week he wants to change the name of the Department of Defense back to its original title: the Department of War.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Monday, August 25, the president said, in part, “It just sounded bad to me, ‘On behalf of the Department of Defense?’ Defense? I don’t want to be defense only. We want defense but we want offense, too, if that’s OK. As the Department of War, we won everything, and I think we’re going to have to go back to that.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, standing behind him, said, “That’s coming soon, sir.”

Trump quickly said, “You let me know if you want to do it.”

Last week’s discussion was not the first time the name change had been floated, with Hegseth looking at the idea in March as a way to better reflect the Trump administration’s priorities.

Renaming the department would likely require an act of Congress.

When asked about that requirement during the Oval Office briefing, Trump responded, “I’m sure Congress will go along with that.”

He added that the Department of War was the name under which the U.S. armed forces had “won World War I, we won World War II.”

Reporter: It requires an act of congress to rename the Defense Department

Trump: We’re just going to do it. I’m sure Congress will just go along pic.twitter.com/oVybEUGwMg

— Acyn (@Acyn) August 25, 2025


12:16 PM EDT

What is the Space Command headquarters responsible for?

Space Command’s functions include conducting operations like enabling satellite-based navigation and troop communication and providing warning of missile launches.

Alabama and Colorado have long battled to claim Space Command because it has significant implications for the local economy. The site has also been a political prize, with elected officials from both Alabama and Colorado asserting their state is the better location.

Huntsville, Alabama, nicknamed Rocket City, has long been home to the Army’s Redstone Arsenal and NASA‘s Marshall Space Flight Center. The Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command is also located in Huntsville, which drew its nickname because of its role in building the first rockets for the U.S. space program.

The announcement caps a four-year back-and-forth on the location of Space Command.

The Air Force in 2021 identified Army Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville as the preferred location for the new U.S. Space Command. The city was picked after site visits to six states that compared factors such as infrastructure capacity, community support and costs to the Defense Department.

Then-President Joe Biden in 2023 announced Space Command would be permanently located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, which had been serving as its temporary headquarters. Biden’s Democratic administration said that keeping the command in Colorado Springs would avoid a disruption in readiness.

A review by the Defense Department inspector general was inconclusive and could not determine why Colorado was chosen over Alabama. Trump, a Republican who enjoys deep support in Alabama, had long been expected to move Space Command back to Alabama.


12:03 PM EDT

Trump announcement today: What we know

Trump is expected to speak at 2 p.m. ET Tuesday afternoon, and he will give the new location for the U.S. Space Command, according to the people who spoke on the condition of anonymity to confirm the plans ahead of the official announcement.

A Pentagon website set up to livestream the remarks describes the event as a “U.S. Space Command HQ Announcement.”

The lack of detail in the schedule prior to Leavitt’s statement had prompted speculation on social media around the president’s health and whether he was alive after a few days without public appearances.

Earlier, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also said: “The president will be making an exciting announcement related to the Department of Defense.”

Despite Trump addressing rumors about his health on Sunday night, some continued to question the nature of the announcement, with some suggesting it could be related to a possible resignation.

“NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social, in response to a post from a MAGA influencer who claimed the “media freaks out” if he disappears for 24 hours.


11:57 AM EDT

Trump to announce major Space Command move in televised address today

President Donald Trump is expected to announce Tuesday that U.S. Space Command will be located in Alabama in a televised address.

The move reverses a Biden-era decision to keep it at its temporary headquarters in Colorado, an unnamed person familiar with the announcement told The Associated Press.

The Department of Defense told Newsweek it had nothing further to add, deferring to the White House.

Earlier, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had said: “The president will be making an exciting announcement related to the Department of Defense.”

Read in full from Dan Gooding and Barney Henderson on Newsweek.