Pentagon chief restores name of Fort Benning, sidesteps Congressional provision

U.S. Defense Secretary on Monday ordered the U.S. Army to rename Fort Moore back to its original name of Fort Benning, undoing a 2023 name change that was driven by racial justice protests. By ordering that the base be named after Corporal Fred Benning, who served in World War One, Hegseth was able to sidestep a Congressional provision that banned bases having Confederate names. The base was originally named after Brigadier General Henry Benning, a Confederate who defended slavery.