Telling the rally that Democrats would rename military bases, including Fort Benning, as part of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act he vetoed, Trump came up with some alternative suggestions.
Speaking to the crowd in Georgia, Trump said: “They’ll be forced to change the names of the bases, where generations of American patriots trained to win two world wars. I don’t know, Fort Benning, let’s see, give me a couple of names. I could give you some, I don’t want to give them the credit, but you’ll name them after other people.”
Someone in the crowd appeared to suggest “Fort Trump” to which the president replied: “Fort Trump. Yeah, how about that? I like that. Yeah, let’s change the name. Let’s change it. Kelly [Loeffler], let’s change it. If they name it Trump let’s change it.”
However, the president made it clear that he was joking, and then said: “Now they’re gonna go back and say, ‘He wants to have Fort Benning changed to Trump.’ Watch, they’ll say ‘He’s asking, he’s begging for Fort Benning to be changed to Trump.’ No, no, I don’t want that.”
Social media users reacted to the suggestion of a Fort Trump by sharing memes and jokes imagining what such a fort would look like, and the images are less than favorable.
Grant Stern said: “I found a photo of Fort Trump,” with an image of a base on fire.
John Pavlovitz said: “The only Fort Trump, will be made with cardboard boxes and blankets by @mattgaetz, @ScottBaio, and @charliekirk11 during a Mar-a-Lago sleepover that Donald does not attend.”
Palmer Report said: “‘Fort Trump’ will make a great name for Trump’s prison cell.”
Kevin Nasky said: “First recruits reporting to Fort Trump,” and attached a “Gravy Seals meme” of men in military uniform but who do not appear to be real soldiers.
Francis LaLonde said: “Fort Trump… complete with its own library,” and shared an image of a prison tower named “Trump Tower” along with a cartoon of Trump pushing a book trolley around a prison.
Fort Benning is named after Confederate General Henry L. Benning, (a secessionist who opposed the abolition of slavery), and is one of ten U.S. Army installations named after Confederate generals.
Trump vetoed the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act that would remove Confederate names from U.S. military bases and has said he would not even consider renaming the bases. However, the Senate voted to override the veto on January 1, 2020.
