WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has issued an order to revert the name of a historic special operations forces base back to Fort Bragg. This North Carolina installation was previously renamed Fort Liberty in 2023 as part of a nationwide initiative led by the Biden administration aimed at eliminating names that honored figures associated with the Confederacy.
The base had originally been named after Gen. Braxton Bragg, a Confederate commander from Warrenton, North Carolina, who was known for his ownership of slaves and for suffering significant defeats during the Civil War, which ultimately contributed to the Confederacy’s collapse.
However, a Pentagon spokesperson indicated Monday that the rebranding was motivated by a desire to honor Pfc. Roland L. Bragg, a World War II hero who was awarded the Silver Star and the Purple Heart for his bravery during the Battle of the Bulge.
“This adjustment highlights the installation’s tradition of recognizing those who have shown remarkable service and sacrifice for our nation,” spokesperson John Ullyot said in a statement.
The decision to honor a World War II private first class circumvents a legal prohibition against naming bases after Confederate leaders.
In a video shared on X to announce the renaming, Hegseth declared, “That’s right. Bragg is back!”
In practice, the base had still been commonly referred to as Bragg, with the new name not gaining significant traction. On Hegseth’s inaugural day in office as defense secretary, he emphasized calling it Fort Bragg during his first interaction with the media.
The renaming also introduces financial implications amid a push by the Trump administration to streamline costs within the government. According to an estimate by the 2022 base renaming commission, the expenses associated with changing Fort Bragg’s name, which includes updates to signage, paint jobs on vehicles for police and emergency services, among other considerations, would amount to at least $6.3 million. By 2023, officials from the base projected that total costs could reach around $8 million.
