Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia has prevented handcuffed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s amendments related to the naming of military bases and other Pentagon assets in the upcoming 2026 National Defense Authorization Act.
Context
The Department of Defense has participated in a notable Biden-era effort to reshape parts of American history. This included the removal of graves, statues, renaming animals, melting busts, and even altering church windows.
The National Defense Authorization Act for 2021 survived despite a veto from President Donald Trump on December 23, 2020. Following this, then-Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin initiated a committee to identify “names, symbols, exhibits, memorials, and tools” related to Defense Department assets that honor volunteers from both Union and Confederate states during the American Civil War.
Austin eventually accepted all the recommendations from this committee.
This process resulted in nine Army installations receiving new names, including Fort Bragg in North Carolina being renamed to Fort Liberty, and Fort Benning in Georgia changing to Fort Moore. Other facilities like Fort Gordon and Fort Hood were renamed as well.
Support
These changes have garnered approval from Democrats and various left-leaning individuals.
Both Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner from Virginia expressed satisfaction with the changes during discussions in the Senate Armed Services Committee. In a joint statement, they described the renaming as “proof that progress is possible.”
As the 2024 presidential election approaches, Trump has indicated a desire to revert these name changes.
Months later, Hegseth announced the restoration of the names Fort Bragg and Fort Benning. During a gathering in North Carolina, he stated that other Army installations should reclaim their original names.
Kaine, however, felt uneasy about this development. He articulated that Trump lacked the authority to unilaterally change the names, asserting, “The president cannot change the law on a whim, and his court appointee, Pete Hegseth, can’t do that either.”
Legislation Moves Forward
The U.S. Senate is poised to vote on a version of the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act this month.
Currently, the bill has amendments stipulating that names of Virginia-based Pentagon assets, including military bases renamed by the Biden-era committee, must remain in effect.
Kaine’s office confirmed that he collaborated with Virginia Democrats to craft an amendment aimed at preventing Hegseth from discarding the committee’s recommendations.
If the NDAA 2026 passes without alterations, Forts AP Hill, Lee, and Pickett will officially be designated as Forts Walker, Gregg-Adams, and Barfoot as envisioned by the Biden-era revisionists.
When questioned about whether there had been discussions to limit the amendment to Virginia, one Republican senator asserted that, due to the classified nature of the NDAA deliberations, they could not share details on how this provision was incorporated.
In reaching out to several Republicans on the committee regarding their stance on the revisions, no responses have been confirmed yet.
“Previous administrations have attempted to change the names of bases, but those changes were never implemented in the first place,” stated Pentagon spokesperson Kingsley Wilson. “Here at the Pentagon, we honor American history and traditions. We won’t erase that,” he added.
“We learn from both victory and pain, making our nation stronger,” Wilson concluded.
