President Donald Trump threatened to veto the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on Wednesday if the bill includes a provision to rename military bases currently named after Confederate leaders.
“I will Veto the Defense Authorization Bill if the Elizabeth ‘Pocahontas’ Warren (of all people!) Amendment, which will lead to the renaming (plus other bad things!) of Fort Bragg, Fort Robert E. Lee, and many other Military Bases from which we won Two World Wars, is in the Bill!” Trump said. (RELATED: Trump Rebukes Dr. Fauci Over Suggestion That NFL Season May Not Ever)
I will Veto the Defense Authorization Bill if the Elizabeth “Pocahontas” Warren (of all people!) Amendment, which will lead to the renaming (plus other bad things!) of Fort Bragg, Fort Robert E. Lee, and many other Military Bases from which we won Two World Wars, is in the Bill!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 1, 2020
The president has previously stated that he won’t consider signing the NDAA if it renames military bases. There are currently 10 U.S. military bases that are named after Confederate leaders, including Fort Benning, Fort Bragg and Fort Hood. (RELATED: Biden Supports Removing Confederate Statues, Wants To Keep Washington And Jefferson)
A sign shows Fort Bragg information May 13, 2004 in Fayettville, North Carolina. The 82d Airborne Division was assigned here in 1946, upon its return form Europe. (Photo by Logan Mock-Bunting/Getty Images)
Military leaders have expressed openness to changing the names of the bases, but polling has shown most Americans do not support the idea. An ABC-Ipsos poll conducted in June found that 56% of Americans oppose renaming U.S. military bases, while 42% support the idea. The poll also found that 67% of African Americans supported the idea, compared to 54% of Hispanic Americans and 32% of white Americans.