On February 13, 2026, President Trump traveled to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, ostensibly to honor special forces members involved in the January 3 capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The event was attended by approximately 50,000 active-duty soldiers, many in uniform.
Trump's speech included both military-related content (announcing $1 trillion in defense spending, discussing the Maduro operation, referencing Iran negotiations) and extensive political messaging. He shared the stage with Michael Whatley, former RNC chairman and Trump-endorsed Senate candidate. Trump explicitly told troops "you have to vote for us," cited his restoration of the Fort Bragg name as reason to support Republicans, attacked former Governor Roy Cooper (Democratic Senate candidate), criticized former President Biden and other Democrats, and warned that Democrats would change the base name again if they won the midterms. Most uniformed service members remained largely unresponsive during political portions, leaving applause primarily to Trump staff and Republican politicians present.
Department of Defense policy prohibits partisan political activity by active-duty service members, and Army regulations state the institution "must be nonpartisan and appear so too." The Hatch Act restricts government employees from campaigning in official capacity but does not apply to the president. Trump has given political speeches in military settings multiple times during his second term.