President Trump said his administration will not rename military bases honoring Confederate figures days after the Army said it was open to discussion on the matter.
“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, etc. These Monumental and very Powerful Bases have become part of a Great American Heritage, and a history of Winning, Victory, and Freedom,” Trump tweeted on Wednesday.
“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. Our history as the Greatest Nation in the World will not be tampered with. Respect our Military!” the president added.
…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…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 10, 2020
…Our history as the Greatest Nation in the World will not be tampered with. Respect our Military!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 10, 2020
The remarks come after the Army left the door open to renaming 10 bases named for Confederate leaders.
“The secretary of the Army is open to a bipartisan discussion on renaming bases,” an Army spokesperson said on Monday.
The Navy announced on Tuesday that it is drafting an order to ban the Confederate battle flag, joining the Marine Corps, which announced a similar policy in April.
“The Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Mike Gilday, has directed his staff to begin crafting an order that would prohibit the Confederate battle flag from all public spaces and work areas aboard Navy installations, ships, aircraft and submarines,” Gilday’s spokesman, Cmdr. Nate Christensen, said in a statement.
“The order is meant to ensure unit cohesion, preserve good order and discipline, and uphold the Navy’s core values of honor, courage, and commitment,” he added.
Protests calling attention to systemic racism and police brutality have spread across the United States over the past two weeks. The demonstrations began after footage was released that showed George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, being pinned to the ground by a white police officer. Floyd can be heard begging for his life before later dying in police custody.
