State leaders react to President Trump’s Fort Novosel name change

DALE COUNTY, Ala. (WIAT) — President Joe Biden changed the name of Fort Rucker in southeast Alabama to Fort Novosel during his administration. That’s because Gen. Edmund W. Rucker, for whom it was originally named, served as a Confederate Officer. Now, President Donald Trump is restoring that name in honor of a different veteran, also named Rucker.

The name of Fort Novosel is changing back to Fort Rucker, now after Capt. Edward Rucker, a WWI pilot. Rep. Rick Rehm (R-Dothan) said the change is a good thing.

“That doesn’t mean that we need to be erasing history or forgetting,” he said. “We need more history in the schools. We need to talk about the past. How we came to today and keep working on all working together.”

But Congressman Shomari Figures (D-AL) said in a statement, in part quote, “This is really a middle finger to black people in Alabama, and the black soldiers who have to serve at this base.”

Democratic leaders on the state level had similar convictions.

“People of color, such as myself, are reminded of what black people had to go through just to get to the freedoms that we have now,” said Rep. Juandalynn Givan (D-Birmingham). “Wars that were fought to keep people like me enslaved.”

“We should be past this,” said Rep. Kenyatte Hassell (D-Montgomery). “I think this is undermining to the Biden Administration, which is the whole purpose of this.”

“Unless the Lord intervenes, we’re gonna suffer,” said Rep. Thomas Jackson (D-Thomasville). “Some difficult days, some very difficult days ahead for our nation,” he said of the current state of affairs.

But, Rep. Rehm said this is not a step backward- it’s a reset.

“For veterans, and army aviators, and the soldiers that serve today, it’s always been known as Fort Rucker,” said Rehm. “And so, I think it just kind of puts that controversy back, ends that controversy. It’s no longer named after a Confederate general.”

In a statement, the Army said they will “take all necessary actions to change the names of seven Army installations in honor of heroic Soldiers who served.”