Trump Rails Against Idea of Renaming Bases Named for Confederate Leaders Despite Openness from Military Officials: Are We Going to Name After Al Sharpton Next?

President Donald Trump remained insistent during his big interview with Chris Wallace that he opposes renaming military bases that were named for Confederate leaders, despite current top U.S. military officials expressing an openness to the idea.

Wallace asked him, “In the case of the Confederate flag, there are a lot of people who say these were traitors who split from this country, fought this country in large part to preserve slavery. Is the Confederate flag offensive?”

“It depends on who you’re talking about, when you’re talking about,” the president said. “When people proudly have their Confederate flags, they’re not talking about racism. They love their flag, it represents the South, they like the South. People right now like the South. I’d say it’s freedom of, of, of many things, but it’s freedom of speech.”

“So you’re not offended by it?” Wallace asked.

“Well, I’m not offended either by Black Lives Matter. That’s freedom of speech,” the president responded, before claiming this is just “cancel culture.”

Wallace brought up how he is threatening to veto the National Defense Authorization Act because the bill includes a plan to rename army bases named for Confederate generals, something supported by some Republicans.

Trump started to defend that decision as Wallace pointed out, “But the military says they’re for this.”

“Excuse me, excuse me. I don’t care what the military says,” Trump responded. “I’m supposed to make the decision.”

He talked up Fort Bragg in particular and said, “Go to the community, say how do you like the idea of renaming Fort Bragg, and then what are we going to name it? We’re going to name it after the Reverend Al Sharpton? What are you going to name it, Chris, tell me what you’re going to name it?”

You can watch above, via Fox News Sunday.