Navy Moves to Rename Ship Honoring Gay Rights Icon Harvey Milk
The U.S. Navy has been told to rename the USNS Harvey Milk. The order came from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as part of a plan to change how the military honors figures from history. Milk was a gay rights leader and a Navy veteran.
The ship, launched in 2021, was named to recognize Milk’s service during the Korean War and his work as one of the first openly gay elected leaders in America. In 1955, Milk left the Navy under pressure due to his sexuality and got an “other than honorable” discharge.
The announcement came during Pride Month. Many leaders have criticized the timing and the decision.
- USNS Harvey Milk named in 2021
- Honors a Navy veteran and civil rights leader
- Milk discharged for being gay in 1955
- Hegseth pushes shift away from DEI programs
- New name for the ship is not yet know
Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi said, “This is a shameful, vindictive erasure of the contributions of LGBTQ+ Americans.” California Governor Gavin Newsom also condemned the move, saying it “reveals Trump’s contempt for the very values our veterans fight to protect.”
The Navy may also rename other ships that honor civil rights figures, such as those named for Thurgood Marshall and Cesar Chavez. The changes are part of what Hegseth calls a move toward a stronger “warrior culture” in the armed forces.
More…
- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/navy-new-name-usns-harvey-milk-ships-named-for-civil-rights-leaders/
- https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/trump-reportedly-strip-harvey-milk-name-naval-20359355.php
- https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/06/03/hegseth-orders-navy-strip-name-of-gay-rights-icon-harvey-milk-ship.html
- https://www.overherehouston.com/best-pride-month-events-in-houston-2025/
