1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

I am writing to express growing concern over former President Trump’s visit and speech at Fort Bragg, which crossed a critical line in separating politics and our military. First and foremost, our military bases are legally required to remain nonpartisan institutions. Fort Bragg was the venue for a campaign-style speech, complete with partisan messaging and what appeared to be political merchandise coverage—activity explicitly barred under Department of Defense rules (DoD Directive 1344.10) and the Hatch Act, which forbid campaign promotion on military installations    . It is not just a breach of regulations—it’s a direct threat to democratic norms. Political rallies on bases undermine civilian control and risk the perception that our armed forces favor a particular candidate or party. That is deeply dangerous and unacceptable. Finally, using military assets—troops, paratrooper demonstrations, and even base spaces—to amplify a political message turns defense into spectacle. This “Strongman Week” of forced military pageantry and partisan spectacle is reminiscent of authoritarian regimes and erodes public trust in our military as a neutral institution . I urge you to: 1. Demand a full congressional review of this event and how it was allowed to happen. 2. Reinforce policies barring any political merchandise or campaign activity on military bases. 3. Strongly support bipartisan legislation to ensure future visits to military installations remain apolitical. Our service members deserve to serve without being pulled into partisan politics. The credibility and integrity of our military depend on keeping that line clear. Thank you for your urgent attention. I look forward to hearing how you plan to protect our military’s nonpartisan status.