Pete Hegseth Wants to Rename Navy Ship Honoring Slain Gay Rights Activist, Harvey Milk
Defense Secretary Hegseth advocates for the expulsion of gay advocates from Navy vessels
In a controversial move, Pete Hegseth, the former U.S. Defense Minister, has reportedly proposed changing the name of the Navy supply ship, the USNS Harvey Milk. The new name, yet to be determined, aligns with President Donald Trump's administration's efforts to reinstate the "warrior culture" in the military.
The timing of this announcement is significant, happening during June – Pride Month. CBS News reported that other ships named after civil rights activists might face similar name changes. Critics, like former Democrat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have termed this move as "malicious," "shameful," and "vengeful."
Harvey Milk, the namesake of the ship, served as a diver in the Navy during the Korean War. Despite his service, Milk was dishonorably discharged due to his sexual orientation. Later, he became a renowned gay rights activist and was elected as San Francisco's first openly gay city councilor in the 1970s. He was assassinated in city hall in 1978. Sean Penn portrayed Milk in the Oscar-winning film "Milk" directed by Gus Van Sant in 2008.
In a strategic paper months ago, Hegseth outlined new guidelines for the U.S. armed forces, classifying measures to promote diversity as "incompatible" with the Pentagon's values. He expressed a desire to eliminate these measures to return to the military's "roots" with high standards.
While Hegseth held the position of Defense Minister under the Trump Administration, the current Defense Secretary is Lloyd Austin, under the Biden administration. It's unclear whether Austin supports Hegseth's proposal, or if it's merely a remnant of Trump-era policies.
[1] Sources: ntv.de, DPA[2] ntv.de[3] DPA
- The US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, now faces a decision regarding the controversial policy-and-legislation proposal by former US Defense Minister Pete Hegseth, who wants to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, a Navy ship named after slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk.
- This proposed name change, part of the politics of general-news, comes as the Trump administration's efforts to reinstate the "warrior culture" in the military continue to shape the military's policy-and-legislation.
