US President Donald Trump will travel to Fort Bragg, North Carolina on Tuesday to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the US Army as he deploys the military in an attempt to quiet immigration protests in Los Angeles.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll will also be at Tuesday's event, along with service members, veterans and their families, according to the Pentagon.
The visit will include meetings with soldiers and military families as well as the observation of training events and other planned activities as part of the Army’s official birthday kickoff.
Fort Bragg, located near Fayetteville, North Carolina, serves as headquarters for US Army Special Operations Command. Highly trained units like the Green Berets and the Rangers are based there.
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Trump has promoted the Army's anniversary as a reason to hold a military parade in Washington, DC, on Saturday, which is also his 79th birthday. Tanks and other vehicles will roll down city streets in a reminder of how the Republican president is reshaping the armed forces after returning to the White House this year.
Trump has authorised the deployment of 4,000 National Guard soldiers to the city over the objections of Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom. About 700 Marines were also due to formally deploy to Los Angeles to quell disturbances that began as protests over immigration raids.
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California sued Trump over the deployment, with the state attorney general arguing that the president had “trampled” the state's sovereignty. California leaders accused Trump of fanning protesters' anger, leading crowds to block off a major freeway and set self-driving cars on fire.
“We’re gonna have troops everywhere," Trump said over the weekend. “We’re not going to let this happen to our country.”
Fort Bragg has been in the middle of a cultural tug-of-war over the military. It was named after a Confederate general, then renamed to Fort Liberty two years ago.
Hegseth brought back the Bragg name, but said it was being used to honor an Army paratrooper who served in World War II.
