Hegseth Orders Renaming Of Navy Ship Honoring LGBTQ+ Icon Harvey Milk: Reports
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the Navy to rename the USNS Harvey Milk honoring the slain LGBTQ+ rights icon and military veteran, according to reports.
The timing of the name change, which was reported on the third day of Pride Month, was intentional, a person familiar with the plans told Military.com, which was the first to report Hegseth's order.
When reached for comment, chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell wouldn't confirm the name change but said Hegseth is focused on aligning military institutions with President Donald Trump's views.
'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. Any potential renaming(s) will be announced after internal reviews are complete,' Parnell said.
A memo obtained by Military.com shows that the name change is scheduled to be announced June 13 aboard the USS Constitution.
Milk was the first openly gay man elected to public office in California. He served less than a year on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors before being assassinated in 1978. Prior to his career in politics, Milk joined the Navy during the Korean War and served until 1955 when he was forcibly discharged because of his sexual orientation.
The USNS Harvey Milk was named in his honor in 2016, while President Barack Obama was still in office. It was one of several ships named for civil rights icons that year.
Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, who represents much of San Francisco in Congress, reacted to the reported name change, calling it a 'shameful, vindictive erasure of those who fought to break down barriers for all to chase the American Dream.'
'Our military is the most powerful in the world – but this spiteful move does not strengthen our national security or the 'warrior' ethos,' she said in a statement. 'Instead, it is a surrender of a fundamental American value: to honor the legacy of those who worked to build a better country.'
CBS News also reported Tuesday that the Navy is considering changing the names of ships honoring the late Supreme Court justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Thurgood Marshall, Harriet Tubman, Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez, among other civil rights icons.
Hegseth, Bedeviled By Leaks, Orders More Restrictions On Press At Pentagon
China Knocks Hegseth's 'Cold War Mentality' After He Calls The Country A Threat
Pete Hegseth's 'Incredibly Problematic' Pentagon Event Raises Serious Concerns
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
30 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
D-Day veterans return to Normandy to mark 81st anniversary of landings
COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, France (AP) — Veterans gathered Friday in Normandy to mark the 81st anniversary of the D-Day landings — a pivotal moment of World War II that eventually led to the collapse of Adolf Hitler's regime. Along the coastline and near the D-Day landing beaches, tens of thousands of onlookers attended the commemorations, which included parachute jumps, flyovers, remembrance ceremonies, parades, and historical reenactments. Many were there to cheer the ever-dwindling number of surviving veterans in their late 90s and older. All remembered the thousands who died. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth commemorated the anniversary of the D-Day landings, in which American soldiers played a leading role, with veterans at the American Cemetery overlooking the shore in the village of Colleville-sur-Mer. French Minister for the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu told Hegseth that France knows what it owes to its American allies and the veterans who helped free Europe from the Nazis. "We don't forget that our oldest allies were there in this grave moment of our history. I say it with deep respect in front of you, veterans, who incarnate this unique friendship between our two countries,' he said. Hegseth said France and the United States should be prepared to fight if danger arises again, and that 'good men are still needed to stand up.' 'Today the United States and France again rally together to confront such threats," he said, without mentioning a specific enemy. 'Because we strive for peace, we must prepare for war and hopefully deter it.' The June 6, 1944, D-Day invasion of Nazi-occupied France used the largest-ever armada of ships, troops, planes and vehicles to breach Hitler's defenses in western Europe. A total of 4,414 Allied troops were killed on D-Day itself. In the ensuing Battle of Normandy, 73,000 Allied forces were killed and 153,000 wounded. The battle — and especially Allied bombings of French villages and cities — killed around 20,000 French civilians between June and August 1944. The exact number of German casualties is unknown, but historians estimate between 4,000 and 9,000 men were killed, wounded or missing during the D-Day invasion alone. Nearly 160,000 Allied troops landed on D-Day. Of those, 73,000 were from the U.S. and 83,000 from Britain and Canada. Forces from several other countries were also involved, including French troops fighting with Gen. Charles de Gaulle. The Allies faced around 50,000 German forces. More than 2 million Allied soldiers, sailors, pilots, medics and other people from a dozen countries were involved in the overall Operation Overlord, the battle to wrest western France from Nazi control that started on D-Day.
Business Insider
32 minutes ago
- Business Insider
An ally took control of live bombs dropped by US Air Force planes. That's never been done before.
The US Air Force recently allowed another country to take control of American bombs in flight for the first time, with F-15 Strike Eagle pilots passing control of their glide bombs over to Norwegian forces. The Norwegian Armed Forces announced the successful weapons test last week, describing it as a test of networked weapons, "weapons you can communicate with after they're fired," that delivered a "groundbreaking" result. "For the first time, the Americans have allowed another country to take control of an American bomb on its way to the target," the armed forces said. The Norwegians said that two US Air Force F-15E fighter jets flew toward Norway's coast with two American GBU-53/B glide bombs in the exercise, called Jotun Strike. Using data provided by various sensors, including those on a deployed P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, Norwegian soldiers took control of the bombs when they dropped and used a network to direct them toward targets they had selected. With the data support, the soldiers adjusted the bomb's course. Chief of the Norwegian Armed Forces' Operational Headquarters, Vice Adm. Rune Andersen, called the result of the test key to Norway maintaining a "technological lead." He added that the test highlighted the "good relationship" between the US and Norway, saying that the test was "based on a high degree of trust and integration between close allies." Capt. Brett Stell, from the 494th Fighter Squadron, US Air Force, explained that the recent exercise was "a demonstration of what warfighting looks like in the future." It proved that "a weapon launched from a US platform can be guided by a Norwegian sensor across domains and distances," he said, adding that "this level of integration shows our shared ability to conduct complex, network-enabled engagements-even in contested environments." The unprecedented exercise was not just about Europe, "it's about homeland defense forward," Stell said. "Threats to the US can originate beyond the Western Hemisphere, and our forward capabilities in the European theater are essential for early warning, rapid response, and deterrence," he said, explaining that "exercises like Jotun Strike make our collective force more lethal, more integrated, and ready to fight and win together." A new kind of weapons test Network-enabled weapons are ones that can be guided and redirected as they fly using communications networks. The armed forces said that "via a built-in radio transmitter, military personnel can communicate with the weapon after it has been fired, change its course, change the target it is going to attack, and await or abort an attack. All based on updates they receive in real time." The concept tested last month was developed in Norway with Norwegian industry, the armed forces said. Specifically, the Norwegian Battle Lab & Experimentation had been working on its concept for network weapons since 2019, with a 2025 deadline. NOBLE is a group in the Norwegian Armed Forces that is affiliated with the operational headquarters and tasked with concept development and experimentation for the military. Its network weapons concept had only previously been tested in simulations, and Col. Roger Samuelsen, the head of NOBLE, said "this was the big test." He said that "it was fantastic that this worked." "It is the first time this weapon has been released in a live version. And it was also the first time someone from the Norwegian Armed Forces tested a live network weapon." The test took place on May 14 at Andøya, a large island in Norway's northwest. The system had already been tested in the US against other simulators, Samuelsen said. He said Norway was repeatedly told it was ahead of others on this technology and that he believed that was why the US wanted to provide weapons and planes for this test. He added that he was "very excited to see if the software we have developed would work as intended, even though we have done all the preparations and tests that were possible in advance." He said the outcome means Norway "now can both plan, lead, coordinate and carry out an engagement with network weapons." Network weapons can get real-time data from external sensors, making them more likely to hit their targets. And they can be made to change course after they are fired. The Norwegian Armed Forces said the network weapons have "increased range and safety" since they don't need to see the target. Instead, they can be launched from further away and controlled, so they "can be fired at a safe distance without the platform supplying the weapon having to expose itself." It also means the target can be changed depending on what's happening and what the military wants to hit. The technology is key for Norway, a smaller country that needs to use its resources efficiently and make the most of recent acquisitions like the P-8 and F-35 fighter jets, but there's also interest from allies. Samuelsen said that people who work in "concept development in NATO have already shown interest in the Norwegian concept." And he said allies are interested in the control software that it has developed with Norwegian software company Teleplan. "There are not many nations that have this weapon or the technology within reach," the armed forces said.
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Inspīr Senior Living Celebrates Pride Month with Community, Culture, and Commitment to Inclusion
WASHINGTON, June 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Inspīr Embassy Row, a SAGECare Platinum Certified assisted living and memory care community in Washington, D.C., hosted its first annual Pride Month celebration on June 5, bringing together residents, families, and team members for an afternoon of connection, creativity, and recognition of LGBTQ+ history and resilience. In addition to the event, Inspīr will be raising funds throughout the month to support the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center, furthering its commitment to local advocacy and impact. The event was thoughtfully curated by the Resident Experience team as part of the Inspīr Impact Alliance initiative, our program dedicated to advancing inclusion, cultural engagement, and social impact. Guests enjoyed artfully presented, rainbow-inspired culinary offerings, a range of immersive experiences including acts of civic engagement and expressive art, and live entertainment. More than a celebration, the gathering served as a vibrant expression of Inspīr's ongoing commitment to creating spaces where all older adults, including LGBTQ+ residents, can live fully, freely, and authentically. "This celebration was a visible reminder that we are accepted, celebrated, and cared for here," said one resident, who identifies as gay. "I don't have to leave any part of myself at the door. At this stage of life, that kind of recognition means everything." Inspīr's Pride event also highlighted partnerships that make civic impact a daily reality. The Impact Alliance – one of the community's core program pillars – fosters meaningful collaborations between residents and local organizations. Through volunteering, intergenerational mentorship, and civic engagement, the program encourages continued purpose and community connection. "We believe that aging should never mean the end of self-expression or purpose," said Olivia Horseman, Director of Resident Experience at Inspīr Embassy Row. "At Inspīr, no one has to choose between being safe and being seen. Our goal is to create a culture where inclusion is not a box we check, but a way of life—one that reflects the identities, experiences, and passions of the residents who call Inspīr home." As part of its dedication to inclusive aging, Inspīr is proudly SAGECare Platinum Certified—the highest level of designation recognizing senior living providers for excellence in LGBTQ+ cultural competency. This certification reflects our full commitment to inclusion, with every associate completing specialized training and participating in ongoing annual in-services to ensure compassionate, culturally responsive care for all residents. Inspīr's inclusive approach is built into the blueprint of its person-centered model of care. Through intellectual programming, thoughtful engagement, and continuous education opportunities, the community empowers residents to remain socially connected, civically involved, and proud of who they are – at every age and every stage. For more information about Inspīr Embassy Row's inclusive programs, please visit For more information on residency, please contact Laurie Thomas, Executive Director of Leasing, at (202) 293-2100. About InspīrInspīr Modern Senior Living is a brand under Maplewood Senior Living focused on offering luxury senior living residences in major metropolitan or destination locations. The Inspīr brand is the convergence of luxury accommodations, exceptional hospitality, cutting-edge technology, whole-person wellness and best-in-class care. Inspīr's first community was built in Manhattan's Upper East Side and its second is in Washington D.C.'s prestigious Embassy Row neighborhood. For more information, please visit or call (202) 293-2100. Media Contact Information: WarschawskiMadeline Slezak(410) 367-2700(484) View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Maplewood Senior Living Sign in to access your portfolio
