Navy vessel's moniker altered at command of Hegseth, removing reference to gay rights advocate Harvey Milk
Ditching Diversity: The Renaming of USNS Harvey Milk Stirs Controversy
In a stunning move that's sparking outrage, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the Navy to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, stripping the ship of its namesake – a slain gay rights activist who served as a sailor during the Korean War.
Anonymous sources within the Navy report that Secretary John Phelan has spearheaded the renaming effort, with a new name expected this month. The chosen name remains a mystery as of now.
The internal memo justifying the action defends the move as a means to align with President Donald Trump and Hegseth's objectives to "re-establish the warrior culture" – the latest move in a series aimed at purging diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives spearheaded by the Trump administration[3]. This move comes during Pride Month, the same timing as the Pentagon's decision to push transgender troops out of the military.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell stated, "Secretary Hegseth is committed to ensuring that the names attached to all DOD installations and assets are reflective of the Commander-in-Chief's priorities, our nation's history, and the warrior ethos." Phelan's office has declined to comment[1].
The USNS Harvey Milk was named in 2016 by then-Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, who proclaimed the John Lewis-class of oilers would be named after leaders who fought for civil and human rights[2]. Milk, portrayed by Sean Penn in an Oscar-winning 2008 movie, served for four years in the Navy before being discharged due to his sexual orientation.
Milk, who later became one of the first openly gay candidates elected to public office, served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and was instrumental in passing a bill banning discrimination based on sexual orientation in public accommodations, housing, and employment[2]. On Nov. 27, 1978, Milk, along with San Francisco Mayor George Moscone, was assassinated by disgruntled former city supervisor Dan White.
Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi, representing San Francisco, condemned the move, stating, "This spiteful move does not strengthen our national security or the 'warrior' ethos. Instead, it is a surrender of a fundamental American value: to honor the legacy of those who worked to build a better country." California Governor Gavin Newsom also slammed the decision, calling it a disregard for Milk's legacy as an American icon[4].
The ship was christened in 2021, and during the ceremony, then-Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro expressed support for the LGBTQ community and commitment to their future within the Navy[2]. The ship operates with a crew of about 125 civilian mariners and completed its first resupply mission at sea in fall 2024[2].
While the renaming of ships is generally considered bad luck in maritime lore, it's not unheard of – the Biden administration changed the names of two Navy ships in 2023 as part of the effort to remove Confederate names from U.S. military installations[2].
Critics argue that this decision to erase the legacy of civil rights icons like Harvey Milk only serves to further marginalize already underrepresented communities – a move that undermines the very values our military personnel are sworn to protect[5].
- The Navy's decision to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, following the justification provided in the internal memo, appears to be a part of a larger political move aimed at realigning with the administration's objectives, which include re-establishing the warrior culture and purging diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
- This renaming of a ship that was named after a slain gay rights activist and civil rights icon, Harvey Milk, amidst Pride Month, also raises concerns in the general news sphere, as critics argue that such a move could further marginalize already underrepresented communities and undermine the values the military is supposed to uphold.
