After rejecting the idea of renaming military bases named after Confederate traitors, the White House will now revisit it.
Conversations among White House officials in recent days about renaming the bases have been spurred by a growing recognition in the West Wing that the names of the bases will eventually be changed — with or without Trump’s backing — given widespread support for the idea and the momentum it has gained in Congress even among lawmakers from the president’s own party. So White House officials are debating whether Trump should support a process for renaming them in order for him to have a say in who they are named after, officials said.
The officials said Trump is aware the conversations are taking place.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy had expressed support for changing the names of bases that memorialize Confederate generals. But Trump swiftly shut down the idea.
