In a direct challenge to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s efforts to roll back diversity initiatives in the military, the House Armed Services Committee has approved an amendment that would prohibit the use of federal funds to rename military bases after Confederate figures.
The amendment, introduced by Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-Wash.), narrowly passed on July 16 with support from two Republicans—Reps. Derek Schmidt (Kan.) and Don Bacon (Neb.)—who crossed party lines to vote with Democrats. It’s now part of the annual defense policy bill and aims to restrict Hegseth’s attempts to restore base names with Confederate roots under the banner of opposing “wokeness” in the armed forces.
“This attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion is really an attempt to suppress, erase, and make some people invisible, while elevating others,” Strickland said during a July 15 markup session.
Hegseth’s Workaround
Despite a 2021 bipartisan commission established to remove Confederate symbolism from military installations, Hegseth has found ways to reintroduce those names—legally—by renaming Fort Benning and Fort Bragg after non-Confederate military personnel who coincidentally share the same last names as the Confederate generals they originally honored.
- In March, he renamed Fort Moore back to include “Benning,” naming it after Cpl. Fred G. Benning, a WWI hero.
- In February, he renamed Fort Liberty to honor Pfc. Roland Bragg, a WWII Silver Star recipient.
Critics say these moves amount to symbolic reversals of the de-Confederatization effort.
The Pentagon declined to comment on the pending legislation, and it remains unclear whether Hegseth will be able to sidestep the new restrictions if the amendment becomes law.
Praise from Commission Officials
Retired Army Brig. Gen. Ty Seidule, vice chair of the original renaming commission and a former West Point history department head, welcomed the House vote.
“I’m proud of the committee for upholding the will of the American people,” Seidule told USA TODAY, referencing Congress’s 2021 mandate to replace Confederate base names.
Under that commission’s recommendations:
- Fort Benning in Georgia was renamed Fort Moore, honoring Gen. Hal Moore and his wife, Julia.
- Fort Bragg in North Carolina became Fort Liberty in 2023.
Both original names had honored Confederate generals who fought to preserve slavery.
Trump and Hegseth Push to Restore Confederate-Era Names
During a June 10 speech at Fort Bragg, former President Donald Trump pledged to reinstate other renamed bases, including Forts Hood, Gordon, Pickett, Rucker, Polk, A.P. Hill, and Robert E. Lee.
“We won a lot of battles out of those forts—it’s no time to change,” Trump said.
Hegseth echoed this sentiment at a June Senate budget hearing, framing the renamings as an attack on military heritage.
“Ask people at Fort Bragg or Fort Benning if they like the names being returned,” he said, calling the removal of Confederate names “garbage” and a break in a vital “generational link.”
If the amendment survives final negotiations in Congress, it could limit Hegseth’s ability to continue undoing the military’s efforts to distance itself from its Confederate past—a priority that gained bipartisan support just a few years ago.
