Pete Hegseth signs memo to rename Fort Liberty to Fort Bragg - but there's a twist
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Fort Bragg is back.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum on Monday night restoring the name of the Army post known as Fort Liberty since 2023.
There is, however, a twist -- the post will be named for a different Bragg.
Since President Donald Trump started his second term, there has been speculation that the post could revert to its original name. It became Fort Liberty during former President Joe Biden's administration. That was part of a national effort under Biden to remove names that honored Confederate leaders.
Trump promised to redesignate Fort Liberty back to Bragg on the campaign trail last year. He hinted at the name reversal during his town hall in Fayetteville back in October.
The new name pays tribute to Pfc. Roland L. Bragg, a World War II hero who earned the Silver Star and a Purple Heart for his service at the Battle of the Bulge, the Department of Defense said Monday night.
"This change underscores the installation's legacy of recognizing those who have demonstrated extraordinary service and sacrifice for the nation," said Department of Defense Press Secretary John Ullyot.
The post was originally named for Braxton Bragg, a Confederate general and Warrenton native.
The choice of Roland Bragg got around a law prohibiting the military from naming a base after a Confederate leader.
WATCH | The history behind the naming of Fort Bragg
Last week, veterans in the Fayetteville area weighed in as talk increased about the potential move away from Liberty.
The name Fort Liberty was chosen after Patti Elliott, a Gold Star mom inspired post leadership to rename the installation Fort Liberty in honor of her son's service. Her son Spc. Daniel "Lucas" Elliott died while serving in Iraq.
On Monday, Elliott told ABC11 that she could not directly comment on Hegseth's action.
"At the time I sat on the Renaming Commission, I was not in the position I am now," Elliott said. "Being the National President for American Gold Star Mothers, I am unable to comment on this at this time because it's political in nature. We have strict guidelines from the IRS as a 501(c)(3) that we are not allowed to engage in political conversations."
In a video he posted on X announcing that he was renaming the base, Hegseth said: "That's right. Bragg is back!"
In reality, the base had still been widely known as Bragg. On Hegseth's first official day as defense secretary, he made a point of calling it Fort Bragg in his first exchange with reporters.
In a post on social media Monday night, Hegseth hinted that more military bases and posts renamed under Biden will also likely be renamed.
ABC11's Sydnee Scofield and The Associated Press contributed.
