U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has instructed the Secretary of the Navy to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, a decision that could signal broader changes to other military ships named after prominent American civil rights figures, according to sources familiar with internal discussions.
The vessel, launched in 2021 and named after gay rights pioneer and former Navy officer Harvey Milk, will be officially renamed later in June, defence officials confirmed. The new name has not yet been disclosed, though the timing aligns with Pride Month.
The change was first reported by Military.com. The Pentagon has yet to comment officially.
Renaming a military ship is highly uncommon and rarely ordered directly by a defence secretary. The most recent example occurred in 2023, when a Congressional commission recommended changes to military assets with Confederate ties, leading to the renaming of the USS Chancellorsville and the USNS Maury.
The Harvey Milk is one of several vessels in the John Lewis-class of oiler ships, all named for civil rights leaders. Others in the class include the USNS Earl Warren, USNS Robert F. Kennedy, USNS Lucy Stone, and USNS Sojourner Truth.
Hegseth, who has focused on restoring a so-called “warrior culture” within the armed forces, has prioritised dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and has supported efforts to revert some military bases to their Confederate-linked names.
Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell released a statement noting that any renaming decisions will be announced once internal reviews are completed.
“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,” said Parnell.
The move has been met with strong opposition from Democratic leaders. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California denounced the reported decision as an “erasure” of trailblazing civil rights figures.
“The reported decision by the Trump Administration to change the names of the USNS Harvey Milk and other ships in the John Lewis-class is a shameful, vindictive erasure of those who fought to break down barriers for all to chase the American Dream,” Pelosi said. “This spiteful move does not strengthen our national security or the ‘warrior’ ethos.”
Remembering Harvey Milk
Harvey Milk was among the first openly gay elected officials in the United States and the first openly gay person elected to office in California. He served as a city supervisor in San Francisco, where he championed gay rights legislation, including a 1978 ordinance banning LGBTQ discrimination in housing and employment.
Milk served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War as a diving officer. In 1955, after being investigated over his sexual orientation, he was compelled to resign with the rank of lieutenant junior grade.
After relocating from New York to San Francisco, Milk co-founded the Castro Village Association, a pioneering LGBTQ business group. In 1977, he won election to the Board of Supervisors and worked to advance civil rights causes. That same year, he helped defeat Proposition 6, which sought to mandate the firing of gay or lesbian teachers in California.
Tragically, Milk and San Francisco Mayor George Moscone were assassinated in 1978 by a disgruntled former colleague. The lenient sentencing of their killer sparked widespread riots.
During the 2021 christening of the ship named in his honour, then-Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro said:
“He made a difference. That’s the kind of naval leader that we need.”
