TRUMP'S PLAN TO RENAME 7 MILITARY BASES RECEIVES MUCH PRAISE & CRITICISM
Fort Bragg became Fort Liberty and Fort Liberty became Fort Bragg. On June 10, 2025, during an address to US Army Soldiers largely from the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, President Donald Trump, amongst other newsworthy announcements, said that he would fulfill his campaign promise of changing back the names of bases that had been changed during the Biden administration.
Since Trump’s inauguration, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has already begun to make good on Trump’s promise by changing the names of two Army bases back to their original names. Fittingly, one of those two bases was Fort Bragg.
In this piece, we are taking a closer look at how the name game began, the motivation behind it and where it’s headed. MyBaseGuide also conducted a survey of its readership, to see how many are feeling about Trump’s recent move.
Trump Announces Plan to Revert Army Base Names: How Did the Naming Game Begin?
In the build up for and during WWI, some southern Army bases were given the names of Confederate officers in order to court support from southern populations. This occurred during the height of Jim Crow Laws throughout the south, so little consideration was given to the opinions of African Americans. All of this changed in the aftermath of the police killing of George Floyd in 2020.
In the protests that ensued across the nation about systemic racism and police violence, protesters pointed to Confederate statues and bases named after Confederate icons as glaring examples of that racist system.
Subsequently, in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2021, Congress established the Commission on the Naming of Items of the Department of Defense. Then-President Trump vetoed the NDAA because it included the establishment of this commission. However, huge bipartisan majorities in both houses of Congress overrode his veto and the commission proceeded.
In May 2022, the commission released its first report that addressed renaming nine Army bases named after Confederate icons, and completed its mission on Oct. 1, 2022. The changes included the renaming of streets and buildings on many military installations, as well as the renaming of two US Navy ships. The renaming actions formally happened in 2023.
During his second Presidential campaign, Trump vowed to undo the base renaming actions and revert the affected bases to their original names. However, this came with a twist.
The bases would not reassume the names of the Confederate icons for whom they were originally named. Instead, the Trump administration identified new military heroes who share a surname with those Confederate icons.
Now, the bases will officially be named after this new crop of warriors, none of whom have any connection to the Confederacy.
Which Army Bases are Being Renamed?
Fort Bragg
Fort Bragg in North Carolina was originally named after Confederate General Braxton Bragg, and was renamed in 2023 as Fort Liberty.
On February 10, 2025, Secretary of Defense Hegseth ordered the name changed back to Fort Brag, but this time in honor of Private First Class Roland L. Bragg, who was stationed at Fort Bragg during World War II and later fought with distinction in the European theater.
He received the Silver Star for gallantry and the Purple Heart for wounds sustained during the Battle of the Bulge.
Fort Benning
Fort Benning in Georgia was originally named after Confederate General Henry L. Benning, and was renamed after General Hal Moore and his wife Julia Compton Moore in 2023.
In March 2025, Hegseth ordered that the name of Fort Moore be changed back to Fort Benning.
The base name now pays tribute to Corporal Fred G. Benning, who was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his extraordinary heroism in action during World War I with the US Army in France in 1918.
Fort Gordon
Fort Gordon in Georgia was originally named after Confederate General John Brown Gordon. The base was renamed in 2023 to Fort Eisenhower after President Dwight Eisenhower.
The base will now be named in honor of Master Sergeant Gary I. Gordon, a Medal of Honor recipient who fought in Somalia.
Fort A.P. Hill
Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia was originally named after Confederate General Ambrose Powell Hill. The base was renamed in 2023 to Fort Walker after Dr. Mary Walker.
It will now be renamed as Fort Anderson-Pinn-Hill, in honor of three Union Civil War soldiers who received the Medal of Honor: Lt. Col. Edward Hill, 1st Sgt. Robert A. Pinn, and Pvt. Bruce Anderson.
Fort Hood
Fort Hood in Texas was originally named after Confederate General John Bell Hood. The base was renamed in 2023 to Fort Cavazos after Gen. Richard Cavazos.
The base name will now honor World War I hero, Col. Robert B. Hood.
Fort Lee
Fort Lee in Virginia was originally named after Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, and was renamed in 2023 to Fort Gregg-Adams after Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg and Lt. Col. Charity Adams.
The base name will now honor Pvt. Fitz Lee who was commended for heroism in the Spanish-American War.
Fort Pickett
Fort Pickett in Virginia was originally named after Confederate General George Edward Pickett and renamed in 2023 to Fort Barfoot after Technical Sergeant. Van T. Barfoot.
The base name will now honor 1st. Lt. Vernon W. Pickett, decorated for extraordinary heroism in World War II.
Fort Polk
Fort Polk in Louisiana was originally named after Confederate General Leonidas Polk and renamed in 2023 to Fort Johnson after Sgt. William Henry Johnson.
The base name will now honor Gen. James H. Polk, a decorated WWII officer who later commanded U.S. Army Europe.
Fort Rucker
Fort Rucker in Alabama was originally named after Confederate Colonel Edmund Winchester Rucker.
It was renamed in 2023 to Fort Novosel after Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael J. Novosel, Sr. The base name will now honor WWI aviator Capt. Edward W. Rucker.
What MyBaseGuide Readers & Others Think About This Change
MyBaseGuide conducted a poll of its readers to see what they thought about Trump’s decision to revert the base names.
For this poll, we surveyed 47 of our readers. Our results showed that 73% support the change, 17% oppose it, and 10% thought it was more of a political move.
While the majority of our readership are glad that Trump is reverting the bases back to their original names, some historians and professors have cited Trump's decision as a technical workaround.
John Aughenbaugh, a political science professor with a background in history at Virginia Commonwealth University said, "He is technically in compliance with the law - but in regards to the spirit, he's not even anywhere close."
Many of those opposed to the renaming cited cost being a concern, explaining that the money would have been better spent on better barracks or other improvements that would increase quality of life.
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