President Trump has ordered the Pentagon to restore Confederate names to seven U.S. Army bases, reversing Biden-era changes that had erased these historical designations in the wake of progressive pressure campaigns.
Key Takeaways
- President Trump has ordered the restoration of Confederate officers’ names to seven major U.S. military bases that were renamed during the Biden administration.
- The bases include Fort Hood, Fort Gordon, Fort Rucker, Fort Polk, Fort AP Hill, Fort Pickett, and Fort Robert E. Lee, which had their names changed following recommendations from a 2022 Pentagon commission.
- Trump announced the decision during a speech at Fort Bragg, citing both superstition and the historical significance of the bases where “we won two world wars.”
- The Biden administration had implemented the name changes as part of a broader initiative following Black Lives Matter protests, with a three-year timetable to remove Confederate tributes.
- Fort Bragg itself was renamed Fort Liberty in 2023 but under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been ordered to honor World War II hero Pfc. Roland L. Bragg instead.
Trump Restores Historical Military Base Names
During a speech following a military demonstration at the installation formerly known as Fort Bragg, President Trump made a decisive announcement that seven Army bases would return to their historical Confederate-themed designations. The declaration represents a firm rejection of the Biden administration’s efforts to erase traditional military base names that have been in place for decades. These bases served as training grounds for American forces that fought and won multiple conflicts throughout the 20th century, forming an important part of U.S. military heritage despite contemporary controversy surrounding their namesakes.
“We won a lot of battles out of those forts. It’s no time to change. And I’m superstitious. I like to keep it going, right? I’m very superstitious. We want to keep it going,” said Trump, President of the United States.
The directive affects major installations including Fort Hood in Texas, Fort Gordon in Georgia, Fort Rucker in Alabama, Fort Polk in Louisiana, and three Virginia bases: Fort AP Hill, Fort Pickett, and Fort Robert E. Lee. These facilities had undergone name changes during the Biden administration after recommendations from the Pentagon’s Naming Commission in 2022, which was established following nationwide protests and pressure from progressive activist groups seeking to remove Confederate symbols from government property. The renaming process had cost taxpayers millions of dollars to implement across these military installations.
Historical Significance Versus Progressive Agenda
The original Confederate-themed names were established in the mid-20th century, during an era when Jim Crow laws were still in effect throughout much of the South. However, these bases went on to become crucial training grounds for American forces that fought in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, and other conflicts. The push to rename them gained momentum during the Biden administration, which established a commission and implemented a three-year timeline to systematically remove tributes to Confederate leaders from U.S. military properties, regardless of their historical significance to generations of service members.
“For a little breaking news, we are also going to be restoring the names to Fort Pickett, Fort Hood, Fort Gordon, Fort Rucker, Fort Polk, Fort A.P. Hill and Fort Robert E. Lee,” said President Trump.
President Trump chose to make this announcement during his visit to the North Carolina installation rather than waiting for a planned military parade in Washington, D.C., signaling the importance he places on addressing this issue promptly. The move reflects Trump’s consistent stance against what many conservatives view as historical revisionism and cancel culture that gained prominence during the previous administration. For many military families with multiple generations who served at these bases, the restoration of familiar names represents a return to tradition and recognition of their service history.
Fort Bragg’s Special Consideration
Fort Bragg, one of the U.S. Army’s largest and most significant installations, presents a unique case in this renaming initiative. Originally named after Confederate General Braxton Bragg, the base was renamed Fort Liberty in 2023 as part of the Biden administration’s broader renaming campaign. However, under President Trump’s direction and the leadership of new Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the installation will not revert to honoring the Confederate general but will instead be named after World War II hero Private First Class Roland L. Bragg, maintaining the familiar “Fort Bragg” name while honoring a genuine American war hero.
“We won two world wars in those forts,” said President Trump.
Legal questions remain about whether Trump needs additional congressional authority to restore some of the original names, particularly for Fort A.P. Hill and Fort Robert E. Lee. Some of these bases had been closed or repurposed during the Biden administration’s military restructuring efforts. However, the administration appears confident in its authority to reverse what many conservatives viewed as unnecessarily divisive changes that diverted military resources and attention away from readiness and national security priorities toward ideologically-driven renaming initiatives that many service members never requested or supported.
