Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered the United States Army to change Fort Liberty back to Fort Bragg on Monday following the military base’s name change under the Biden-Harris administration.
In a video shared on X, formerly Twitter, Hegseth said, “Pursuant to the authority of the Secretary of Defense, Title 10, United States Code Section 113, I direct the Army to change the name of Fort Liberty, North Carolina, to Fort Bragg, North Carolina. That’s right, .”
Following Hegseth’s order, Department of Defense Press Secretary John Ullyot released a statement confirming that Hegseth had signed a memorandum ordering the name change “while flying aboard a C-17 from Joint Base Andrews to Stuttgart on February 10, 2025.”
According to The Post Millennial, Fort Bragg was changed to Fort Liberty in June of 2023. While Fort Bragg was originally named after Braxton Bragg, a Confederate Army general, the Department of Defense announced that the fort’s new name honors “Pfc. Roland L. Bragg, a World War II hero who earned the Silver Star and Purple Heart for his exceptional courage during the Battle of the Bulge.”
The Department of Defense explained that the change from Fort Liberty to Fort Bragg reflects the legacy of recognizing individuals who have “demonstrated extraordinary service and sacrifice for the nation.”
READ MORE: Video: SECDEF Hegseth refers to ‘Fort Liberty’ as ‘Fort Bragg’
The memorandum signed by Hegseth notes that Roland Bragg “saved a fellow soldier’s life by commandeering an enemy ambulance and driving it 20 miles to transport a fellow wounded warrior to an allied hospital in Belgium” during the Battle of the Bulge.
NBC News reported that Fort Bragg was changed to Fort Liberty under the Biden-Harris administration after a 2021 congressional commission recommended nine name changes to various military installations associated with Confederate leaders.
According to NBC News, Fort Bragg houses the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Joint Special Operations Command, the 82nd Airborne Division, and the XVIII Airborne Corps. The outlet noted that the military base spans over 250 square miles and supports more than 55,000 military members, 12,000 civilian workers, and 25,000 family members.
According to The Hill, Trump previously pledged to reverse the controversial name change during the 2024 presidential election. During a campaign rally in North Carolina, Trump said, “We did win two world wars from Fort Bragg, right?” At the time of the rally, he added, “We’re going to get it back. We’re going to bring our country back.”