Members of a crowd filled with members of the military and their families booed and jeered President Trump’s political rivals and the press Tuesday at the president’s prompting during his address at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.
The response from attendees, most of whom were wearing military fatigues, was a jarring sight given the military’s history as a traditionally nonpartisan entity. Presidents have historically drawn criticism when they have been seen as using the military as a political pawn.
Trump opened with a dig at his predecessor, noting the Biden administration had renamed Fort Bragg to Fort Liberty under a 2023 congressionally mandated rule to rename installations honoring Confederate generals. The Trump administration has since changed the name back.
“Can you believe they changed that name in the last administration for a little bit?” Trump asked, eliciting boos from those in the crowd.
Trump later bragged that he didn’t think former President Biden would be able to draw a similar crowd.
“Do you think this crowd would have showed up for Biden? I don’t think so. I don’t think so. I don’t think so, maybe I’m wrong,” he said to more jeers from the crowd.
At one point, Trump invoked the unrest in Los Angeles, where demonstrations in response to immigration raids have at times turned violent. The president referred to the “governor of California” and “the mayor of Los Angeles,” which triggered boos from some in the audience directed at Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and Mayor Karen Bass (D).
The president identified journalists in attendance as “the fake news,” a comment that prompted jeers from some service members on hand.
The address drew criticism from some Democrats.
“It’s truly disgraceful to watch Trump give a nakedly political speech at Fort Bragg, and encourage uniformed members of the military to boo and hiss political opponents,” Tommy Vietor, who served in the Obama White House, posted on the social platform X. “I realize we’ve given up on norms from the before times, but it’s still awful and harmful to the military!”
Trump was at Fort Bragg in North Carolina to attended a military demonstration and mark a celebration of the Army’s 250th anniversary. For his speech, hundreds of service members were in attendance, including dozens seated behind the president’s podium.
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