Trump’s Fort Bragg rally sees uniformed troops boo Biden, sparking fears over military politicisation.

Uniformed soldiers at Fort Bragg cheered, booed and joined in President Donald Trump’s political attacks during a rally on Tuesday, prompting a wave of concern over the military’s politicisation.

Defence Department officials insisted the troops had not breached military regulations, but experts argued otherwise. As Trump lashed out at political opponents, including President Joe Biden, California Governor Gavin Newsom, and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, soldiers openly responded. Cheers erupted for Trump’s jabs, while boos followed mentions of Biden and Newsom.

“Do you think this crowd would have showed up for Biden? I don’t think so,” Trump quipped to roaring boos from the uniformed audience.

Trump’s Fort Bragg appearance marked a departure from his usual rally venues. While presidents often use troops as political backdrops, rarely do they deliver overt political speeches on military bases, especially with troops in uniform participating. Trump went further, targeting “fake news media,” transgender people, California protesters, and flag-burners, all while uniformed service members reacted vocally.

Geoffrey DeWeese, a retired military judge advocate general, criticised the scene sharply. “It’s a sad tradition to use the military as a backdrop for political purposes,” he said. “To actively attack another president or sitting governor and incite boos crosses into dangerous territory. This dangerously politicises the military.”

DeWeese warned that such behaviour may violate the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). “I would be cringing if I was a senior officer and it happened under my watch.”

Though Trump, as commander-in-chief, holds authority over military events, the open political engagement by troops deeply troubles military leaders. The U.S. military’s long-standing principle of political neutrality underpins public trust in its nonpartisan service.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, a Trump appointee, has previously vowed to “depoliticise” the military by dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programmes and barring transgender service members. His critics argue Tuesday’s rally achieved the opposite.

Kori Schake, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a former official under both Bush administrations, faulted Fort Bragg’s commanders. “It’s terrible. The president’s behaviour was predictably bad, but leaders should have prepared troops and counselled them not to participate,” she wrote.

The Pentagon, however, defended the rally. Spokesman Sean Parnell accused the media of bias, claiming reporters “cheered on the Biden administration” for implementing DEI policies and COVID-19 vaccine mandates. “Believe me, no one needs to be encouraged to boo the media,” he said, labelling reporters’ questions as a “disgraceful attempt to ruin the lives of young soldiers.”

Further controversy erupted when Army officials acknowledged that pro-Trump “MAGA” merchandise had been sold at the rally. The Army, which had co-ordinated the event with American 250, a nonpartisan organisation, insisted it did not endorse any political merchandise or views. “The vendor’s presence is under review,” said Col. Mary Ricks of the Army’s 18th Airborne Corps.

The Army’s newly published field manual, The Army: A Primer to Our Profession of Arms, reiterates the military’s duty to remain nonpartisan. “Being nonpartisan means not favouring any political party or group,” it states. “Nonpartisanship assures the public that our Army will always serve the Constitution and our people loyally and responsively.”

While troops may engage in political activities as private citizens, the manual warns that soldiers must avoid actions that could undermine the Army’s reputation. “As a soldier you must be mindful of how your actions may affect the reputation and perceived trustworthiness of our Army.”

Trump’s rally has now ignited a broader debate: whether the line separating politics and the military has blurred too far — and who is responsible for redrawing it.