The Army faces backlash for President Donald Trump’s Fort Bragg visit

Welcome to Monday. It’s Danielle Battaglia with today’s Under the Dome.

Saturday marked the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary, and to kick off a week of celebrations, President Donald Trump visited Fort Bragg on Tuesday.

Guests were treated to bounce houses, flyovers by military aircraft and 600 parachutists jumping from planes, all before Trump took the stage.

But after he returned to Washington, the Army found itself mired in controversies because of the behavior of the soldiers at the event and activity that took place on base while the president was there.

Military.com, a news source for service members, veterans and their families, has been following the fallout closely.

And the outlet’s coverage led Rep. Pat Ryan, a Democrat from New York, to pose questions during a House committee hearing Thursday to Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff.

First Ryan asked about reports that soldiers were told if their views opposed the Trump administration’s, they needed to speak to their supervisor and be swapped out before the event.

Reports have surfaced that soldiers were told if they stood behind Trump they couldn’t look overweight or roll their eyes and they wouldn’t be able to drink water, so they needed to be hydrated.

On camera, the soldiers cheered and jeered along with Trump as he attacked his political foes, ranging from former President Joe Biden, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and members of the press.

And while other presidents have caused controversy for using members of the military as props during their speeches, this event particularly stood out because of the breach in protocol that directs members to maintain political ambiguity while in uniform.

Ryan told Caine that “even more disturbing” was that MAGA merchandise was being sold on Fort Bragg at the event.

Merchant 365 Campaign was on site selling Trump products, and soldiers were photographed buying their products and wearing items while in uniform.

Ryan quoted a Bragg commander to Caine who told Military.com anonymously, “This has been a bad week for the Army. For anyone who cares about us being a neutral institution, this was shameful.”

Caine told Ryan he hadn’t seen the reports, but he added that the nation demands an “apolitical, nonpartisan military.”

Col. Mary Ricks, a spokesperson for Fort Bragg, told Military.com that 365 Campaign’s presence on the base is under review to understand how it happened and to prevent it in the future.

Trump’s event Tuesday marked a series of events celebrating the Army that culminated Saturday in a parade down Constitution Avenue in Washington, from the Lincoln Memorial to the Ellipse.

Protests took place around the country opposing the Trump administration, including in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and other towns and cities across the state. Trump’s birthday fell on the anniversary of the Army.

Other stories from the week

▪ Trump signed an executive order to lift a 52-year ban on overland civilian supersonic flight. This is welcome news to Boom Supersonic, a company that seeks to assemble planes in Greensboro. Brian Gordon has more.

▪ The Rev. William Barber, a civil rights activist, found himself in handcuffs again earlier this month for returning to the Capitol rotunda to pray. And he plans to continue his protests in Washington as Congress mulls changes to social safety net programs, Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi reports.

▪ I reported on how proposed cuts to the clean energy tax credits found in the Inflation Reduction Act could harm businesses and lead to higher electric bills in North Carolina.

▪ Former Gov. Pat McCrory told the Charlotte Observer’s Abby Pender that the decision to send the National Guard to Los Angeles is reminiscent of his decision to use the National Guard in Charlotte against the wishes of city officials.

▪ If ICE agents come to your home, do you have to let them in? Renee Umsted tells you. She also tells you if you have to comply if you don’t have legal status.

▪ The Trump administration approved $110 million to help build a new bridge connecting the Outer Banks to North Carolina, Richard Stradling reported.

Don’t forget, we want to hear from our readers, if Trump’s new policies are having a personal impact on you. You can fill out the form we created to get in touch with our staff and tell us your personal stories.

That’s it for now. Be kind to each other. And check back tomorrow for the Under the Dome podcast newsletter.

And if you have any feedback or tips for this new edition of the newsletter feel free to reach out to me directly at dbattaglia@mcclatchydc.com.

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This story was originally published June 16, 2025 at 5:00 AM.

Danielle Battaglia

McClatchy DC

Danielle Battaglia is the congressional impact reporter for The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer, leading coverage of the impact of North Carolina’s congressional delegation and the White House. Her career has spanned three North Carolina newsrooms where she has covered crime, courts and local, state and national politics. She has won two McClatchy President’s awards and numerous national and state awards for her work.