President Donald Trump says he will “not even consider” renaming several military bases named after Confederate leaders.
“It has been suggested that we should rename as many as 10 of our Legendary Military Bases, such as Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Fort Hood in Texas, Fort Benning in Georgia,” Trump wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.
He continued, “These Monumental and very Powerful Bases have become part of a Great American Heritage, and a history of Winning, Victory, and Freedom. 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.”
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1270787974880526337
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1270787978626052096
“Our history as the Greatest Nation in the World will not be tampered with. Respect our Military!” he added.
Trump’s tweet comes two days after Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told Politico he is “open” to renaming the ten military bases named after Confederate military officers.
The bases named after Confederate officials are Forts Benning and Gordon, Fort Bragg, Forts Pickett, A.P. Hill and Lee, Fort Polk and Camp Beauregard, Fort Hood, and Fort Rucker.
McCarthy’s willingness to change the names of the military installations comes as protests against police brutality and racism have erupted across the country after the death of George Floyd.
Around the world, demonstrators have torn down statues of individuals who have racist legacies, as IJR reported.
In Richmond, Virginia protesters tore down a statue of Christopher Columbus and threw it into a nearby lake.
And Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) announced last week that the state would take down a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, which he argued was erected “undo the results of the Civil War by other means.”
However, a Virginia judge issued an injunction to stop the removal of the statue.
