June 11, 2025 Story by: Editor
The U.S. Department of Defense has officially announced the restoration of seven Army base names honoring Confederate generals—reversing the renaming efforts made in recent years. The reversal follows President Trump’s announcement on June 10 at Fort Bragg, sparking renewed controversy over military tradition, racial symbolism, and Pentagon policy.
On June 10, President Trump, speaking at Fort Bragg during the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary celebration, confirmed the renaming initiative.
He declared that the names of seven bases that had been changed after the 2020 racial justice protests will revert back, stating, “We won a lot of battles out of those forts. It’s no time to change,” and added, “I’m very superstitious. We want to keep it going.”
Bases Affected and Historical Context
Original Namesake(s) / Former Name / 2023 Name / New Name / New Namesake(s)
Lieutenant General A.P. Hill / Fort A.P. Hill / Fort Walker / Fort Hill / Union and Medal of Honor recipients Edward Hill, Robert Pinn, Bruce Anderson
General George Pickett / Fort Pickett / Fort Barfoot / Fort Pickett / 1st Lt. Vernon W. Pickett, WWII hero
General Robert E. Lee / Fort Lee / Fort Gregg‑Adams / Fort Lee / Pvt. Fitz Lee, Spanish-American War Medal of Honor (Buffalo soldier)
General John Brown Gordon / Fort Gordon / Fort Eisenhower / Fort Gordon / Master Sgt. Gary I. Gordon, Mogadishu Medal of Honor
General John Bell Hood / Fort Hood / Fort Cavazos / Fort Hood / Col. Robert B. Hood, WWI Distinguished Service Cross
General Leonidas Polk / Fort Polk / Fort Johnson / Fort Polk / Gen. James H. Polk, WWII Silver Star
Colonel Edmund Rucker / Fort Rucker / Fort Novosel / Fort Rucker / Capt. Edward W. Rucker, WWI Distinguished Service Cross
*All original namesakes were members of the Confederate Army*
Additionally, Fort Bragg, renamed Fort Liberty in 2023, was the first to revert in February—now honoring WWII Silver Star recipient Roland L. Bragg—under Defense Secretary Hegseth.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum to reverse the name of Fort Bragg in February, which had been rechristened as the Fort Liberty Army base in 2023.
- The base was originally named after a Confederate general, Braxton Bragg, though the new name commemorated a different Bragg — Roland L. Bragg, a World War II veteran, according to the Pentagon.
Flashback: The Naming Commission recommended nine different Army bases for redesignation, completing the project in 2023.
Policy, Politics & Pushback
- Congressional Conflicts: These changes challenge the 2021 Congress legislation banning the naming of bases after Confederate figures. However, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has skirted this by reassigning new honorees sharing the same surnames.
- Naming Commission Overruled: The renamings were initially part of Biden-era reforms driven by a 2022 report from the Naming Commission, prompted by the post‑George Floyd movement.
- Critical Voices: Retired Brig. Gen. Ty Seidule, former vice chair of the Naming Commission, condemned the move, stating it violates the intent of post‑Floyd legislation. Political backlash includes pushes from Senate Democrats and New York lawmakers, highlighting concerns over the historical erasure and exclusion of Black, female military honorees.
Cost and Administration
- The Army previously budgeted nearly $40 million for the initial 2023 renaming effort
- Current Pentagon officials have not provided new cost estimates or implementation timelines for reversing these changes.
Why It Matters
This decision epitomizes the larger national tug-of-war over Confederate symbolism, public memory, and military heritage. It also highlights the ability of political administrations—and their appointed defense leadership—to reverse institutional reforms.
For some, it signals a rejection of diversity initiatives and a reaffirmation of tradition; for others, it represents a painful relapse and erasure of recent gains in recognizing a more inclusive range of American heroes.
Source: Axios
