Former President Donald Trump’s recent rally in North Carolina has sparked significant concern. His pledge to restore Confederate generals’ names on military bases, including renaming Fort Liberty back to Fort Bragg, was met with loud cheers from the crowd. This promise comes despite the base’s name change following George Floyd’s tragic death, which highlighted systemic racial issues.
The fort originally bore the name of Braxton Bragg, who played a significant role in American military history, serving as an army officer during both the Second Seminole War and the Mexican–American War. During the American Civil War, he became a Confederate general in the Western Theater. His most crucial position was as commander of the Army of Mississippi, which was later renamed the Army of Tennessee, from June 1862 until December 1863. His leadership during this period had a profound impact on the course of events in that theater of war.
But Bragg is often considered one of the worst Civil War generals, with most battles he led ending in defeat. He was unpopular with officers and men, and criticized for poor strategy, a quick temper, and strict discipline. Historians generally view him poorly, though some blame his subordinates’ failures, particularly Major General Leonidas Polk. Bragg’s defeats significantly contributed to the Confederate States’ ultimate defeat.
And yes, Bragg, like George Washington, was a slaveowner but that wasn’t the problem.
Unlike Washington, he was an ineffective Confederate general who fought against the United States and had American soldiers killed in an effort to preserve the institution of slavery. Replacing his name with one that honors America’s core values is an obvious and necessary choice.
“This great-looking soldier just accidentally said Fort Liberty,” Trump said. “He almost got booed the hell out of the place!”
Numerous social media users expressed genuine shock at both Trump’s promise and the significant reaction it garnered. Independent congressional reporter Jamie Dupree earnestly suggested that Trump was fixated on a previous loss.
“Screw the Confederacy,” said former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) in a social media post. “Public announcement: the Confederacy lost, they were traitors, despicable and disgusting and while we should study them to see how brain worms work, everything honoring the confederacy should be removed.”
Retired Marine fighter pilot and former Senate candidate Amy McGrath delivered a compelling critique of Trump and the crowd.
“He’s really going after the racist, un-enlightened, clinging to the lost cause of the confederacy vote,” wrote McGrath. “That’s actually a minority of the military/veteran community in 2024. There are old guys who care about base names. Post 911 vets either don’t care or welcome the change.”
