Trump Will ‘Not Even Consider’ Renaming Military Bases Honoring Confederate Generals

President Donald Trump on Wednesday said his administration will “not even consider” changing the name of any of the 10 Army bases that are named for Confederate Army officers. Two days earlier, Defense Secretary Mark Esper indicated that he was open to a broad discussion of such changes.

“These Monumental and very Powerful Bases have become part of a Great American Heritage, a history of Winning, Victory, and Freedom,” Trump wrote. “The United States of America trained and deployed our HEROES on these Hallowed Grounds, and won two World Wars. Therefore, my Administration will not even consider the renaming of these Magnificent and Fabled Military Installations.”

To amplify Trump's view, his press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, read his comments to reporters in the White House briefing room. She said he is “fervently” opposed to changing the base names and believes that doing so would amount to “complete disrespect” for soldiers who trained there over the years.

Name changes have not been proposed by the Army or the Pentagon, but on Monday, Esper and Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy indicated in response to questions from reporters that they were “open to a bipartisan discussion” of renaming bases such as Fort Bragg in North Carolina and Fort Benning in Georgia.

Supporters of disassociating military bases from Confederate Army officers argue that they represent the racism and divisiveness of the Civil War era and glorify men who fought against the United States.

The U.S. military recently began rethinking its traditional connection to Confederate Army symbols, including the Army base names, mindful of their divisiveness at a time the nation is wrestling with questions of race after the death of George Floyd in police hands.

Ten major Army installations are named for Confederate Army officers, mostly senior generals, including Robert E. Lee. Among the 10 is Fort Benning, the namesake of Confederate Army Gen. Henry L. Benning, who was a leader of Georgia's secessionist movement and an advocate of preserving slavery. Others are in Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama, Texas and Louisiana. The naming was done mostly after World War I and in the 1940s, in some cases as gestures of conciliation to the South.

Few voices in the military are openly defending the link to Confederate symbols, but some of the bases named for Confederate officers are legendary in their own right. Fort Bragg, for example, is home to some of the Army's most elite forces. Any decision to change the name at Bragg or other bases likely would involve consulting with officials from the affected states and localities.

David Petraeus, a retired four-star Army general, says the renaming move, which he supports, amounts to a “war of memory,” and that before deciding to rename bases like Fort Bragg, where he served with the 82nd Airborne Division, the Army must be ready to follow its own procedures for such change.

“The irony of training at bases named for those who took up arms against the United States, and for the right to enslave others, is inescapable to anyone paying attention," Petraeus wrote in an essay published Tuesday by The Atlantic. “Now, belatedly, is the moment for us to pay such attention.”

Fort Bragg was named for Braxton Bragg, a native North Carolinian and Confederate general with a reputation for bravery and mediocre leadership. His forces were defeated at the Battle of Chattanooga in November 1863.

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[no_media]

It’s like nobody paid attention in history class until now lol.

[wrxrox]

Renaming the forts and bases takes nothing away from those of us who trained and served there.

[Margalus]

I love how they spin changing a name into insulting current members of our armed forces.

[bluemoon]

SERIOUSLY..you don't see "Nazi-town" Germany..why do we do it in this country

[kanvaros]

How about our great military bases where we train the forces to WIN AND PROTECT AMERICANS ! Be named after winners !!!

[Kirsten_is_cursed]

Confederate statues and names are the ultimate “participation trophies” lol

[The.End.Begins]

Why would the US bases be named after traitors that faught US soilders. My husband was stationed at FortBrag and he would always mentioned that.

[johnpowers]

Why not change Fort Bragg To Fort Rommel? He killed a lot of Americans as well, or Camp Pendleton Camp Tojo! I’m sure the Marines won’t mind

[sjc]

we don't have the bin laden national monument to remember 9/11 and we don't have the yamamoto commemorative naval base to remember pearl harbor, we don't celebrate benedict arnold day to remember the american revolution and we don't give gifts on judas' birthday to remember jesus, and you know why? because that would be fucking stupid.

[somasoundss]

Winning? Lol all those guys lost though

[shereer]

Build a museum and put all your hateful history in there. Your welcome.

[jemarloc]

LMAO the way she flips to the next page. She mad!! 😂

[justinriley]

So everyone sucks on both sides consistently throughout history. Got it.

[ShadowsFateOfficial]

*HISTORY IS NOT MADE FOR YOU TO LIKE IT, BUT RATHER TO TEACH LESSONS FROM THE PAST TO LEARN FOR THE FUTURE.*

[mickydeloach]

Warning ! You talk bad about Robert E Lee or any southern military hero you will need eyes in the back of your head! Respect is earned not given freely!

[DannyMancheno]

Put the statues of the men who defeated the confederate generals. And put those confederate generals in a defeated section in a museum. It's a win win for both sides.

[sunmont]

Lol. Why do ppl think a renaming or removal of statue suddenly removes them from history. Lol. History doesn't work that way...we still know who they are and what they did.

[miguellee]

How is it that she ended up talking about Biden from that question? (Rolling my eyes)

[rodgermurphy]

"When facism comes to USA it will be wearing an anti-facism banner true

[billpittard]

I'm a black man and I completely agree do we erase everything that had any racial involvements from history smh def not