USNS Harvey Milk to be renamed at Hegseth's order
The Brief
Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth ordered the renaming to align with Trump's vision for a "warrior ethos."
Critics, including Nancy Pelosi and Gavin Newsom, say the move dishonors a decorated veteran during Pride Month.
Harvey Milk was a Navy vet and gay rights pioneer assassinated in 1978 after landmark LGBTQ+ advocacy.
WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the Navy to rename the USNS Harvey Milk.
This will strip the ship of the moniker of a slain gay rights activist who served as a sailor during the Korean War.
The change was confirmed in an internal memo that officials said defended the action as a move to align with President Donald Trump and Hegseth's objectives to "re-establish the warrior culture."
U.S. officials said that Navy Secretary John Phelan has put together a small team to rename the ship. A new name is expected later this month.
What they're saying
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement that 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."
Meanwhile, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat representing San Francisco, said in a statement Tuesday that "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 Gov. Gavin Newsom also slammed the move, saying Milk was a Korean War combat veteran whose commander called him "outstanding."
Dig deeper
It marks the latest move by the Trump administration to purge programs with references to references to diversity, equity and inclusion.
The news also comes during Pride Month — a month-long celebration dedicated to LGBTQ+ people, their history and their culture.
The oiler is operated by Military Sealift Command, with a crew of about 125 civilian mariners. The Navy says it conducted its first resupply mission at sea in fall 2024, while operating in the Virginia Capes.
While the renaming is rare, the Biden administration also changed the names of two Navy ships in 2023 as part of the effort to remove Confederate names from U.S. military installations.
The backstory
Milk, who was portrayed by Sean Penn in an Oscar-winning 2008 movie, served for four years in the Navy before he was forced out for being gay. He later became one of the first openly gay candidates elected to public office.
Milk served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and had sponsored a bill banning discrimination based on sexual orientation in public accommodations, housing and employment. It passed, and San Francisco Mayor George Moscone signed it into law.
On Nov. 27, 1978, Milk and Moscone were assassinated by Dan White, a disgruntled former city supervisor who cast the sole vote against Milk's bill.
The Source
The Associated Press contributed to this story. This story was reported from Los Angeles.
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