Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Monday that Fort Liberty, previously renamed from Fort Bragg in 2023 as part of efforts to change bases named after Confederate officers, would be reverting to its original name. The decision to change the name back to Fort Bragg came after nationwide protests following the death of George Floyd in 2020.
President Donald Trump had expressed a desire to change the base’s name back to Fort Bragg during a campaign stop in North Carolina. In 2021, Congress passed legislation prohibiting the naming of military bases after individuals who served or held leadership roles in the Confederate States of America.
Established in 1918, Fort Bragg was originally named after General Braxton Bragg, who served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. The base currently houses the Airborne and Special Operations Forces and is home to 57,000 troops.
To circumvent Congress’ prohibition on Confederate names, Hegseth officially renamed Fort Bragg after Private First Class Roland Bragg, a World War II veteran who served with distinction. The renaming of the base is meant to honor all U.S. soldiers who have trained there to fight and win wars, reflecting the installation’s history and legacy. Hegseth’s memo emphasized the importance of respecting the base’s storied past while moving forward with the name change.
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