The U.S. Army has launched a review after MAGA hats and “America First” swag ended up on sale at a military-sponsored event at Fort Bragg earlier this week. President Donald Trump attended the public event, which commemorated the Army’s 250th anniversary. Troops in uniform are prohibited from wearing political garb under a Pentagon rule. “The Army remains committed to its core values and apolitical service to the nation,” Col. Mary Ricks, a spokesperson for the XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg, told ABC News. “The Army does not endorse political merchandise or the views it represents.” Soldiers selected to stand behind the president during his speech were reportedly ordered not to roll their eyes or react negatively. One Army official said of the orders and the merch being sold, “We wish it hadn’t happened,” adding that the Army hoped to focus on the historic anniversary. The White House dismissed the criticism, with deputy press secretary Anna Kelly saying in a statement: “It’s bizarre that ABC is taking issue with President Trump’s moving, unifying speech at Fort Bragg, which honored 250 years of U.S. Army history and recognized military heroes and Gold Star families.”
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