President Trump announced Tuesday that he will reinstate the original names of seven U.S. military bases that were previously named after Confederate officers. The decision reverses an initiative launched under President Biden that aimed to rename military installations to reflect more inclusive values and move away from commemorating figures associated with slavery.
The announcement came during Trump’s visit to Fort Bragg in North Carolina. While speaking to a crowd, he listed the bases whose former names would be restored: Fort Pickett, Fort Hood, Fort Gordon, Fort Rucker, Fort Polk, Fort A.P. Hill, and Fort Robert E. Lee. He justified the move by referencing the military history connected to the original names, saying, “We won a lot of battles out of those forts. It’s no time to change. And I’m superstitious, you know? I like to keep it going.”
Earlier this year, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum to reverse the name of Fort Bragg, which had been renamed Fort Liberty in 2023. Although Fort Bragg originally honored Confederate General Braxton Bragg, the new name was said to commemorate Roland L. Bragg, a World War II veteran, according to the Pentagon.
The renaming effort originated with the 2020 establishment of the Naming Commission, created in the wake of George Floyd’s death and a national reckoning with systemic racism. The commission had recommended renaming nine Army bases, as well as hundreds of other military-related locations, including streets and buildings. President Biden replaced several of Trump’s initial appointees to the commission, ultimately pushing forward the redesignation project, which concluded in 2023.