Trump's Military Base Renaming: Returning to Confederate Roots

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has declared that the military will revert to original names for several bases, names that were changed following racial justice protests in 2023. This includes Fort Lee, named after Civil War commander Robert E. Lee.

Under Trump's previous administration, the Pentagon had already restored the original names of Fort Benning, formally known as Fort Moore, and Fort Bragg, temporarily called Fort Liberty. According to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, legal loopholes allowed renaming after individuals sharing names with Confederate officials, bypassing congressional bans.

Trump's announcement to revert names like Fort Pickett, Fort Hood, and others was met with applause during a speech at Fort Bragg. The discourse highlighted contentious debates around Confederate symbols, ignited after George Floyd's death in 2020, and the subsequent legislation against naming bases after Confederate figures.

(With inputs from agencies.)