U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has ordered the Navy to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, a naval oiler named after one of America’s most iconic LGBTQ+ rights activists and a former Navy officer.
Launched in 2021, the USNS Harvey Milk was part of the John Lewis-class of replenishment oilers—ships named to honor civil rights leaders.
The decision to rename it comes as Pride Month begins, sparking widespread criticism from political and advocacy groups.
While no new name has yet been announced, sources confirm the ship will be officially renamed later this month. The U.S. Department of Defense has not released an official statement.
Ship renamings in the U.S. military are uncommon—and rarer still when initiated by the Defense Secretary.
The last high-profile renamings occurred in 2023, driven by a congressional mandate to erase Confederate-linked military names, including that of the USS Chancellorsville and the USNS Maury.
This latest decision is aligned with Secretary Hegseth’s mission to reestablish what he calls a “warrior culture” within the armed forces—largely by rolling back diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies introduced under previous administrations.
The USNS Harvey Milk honored a man whose life became a symbol of resilience and representation.
Harvey Milk, a Navy veteran and the first openly gay elected official in California, served as a diving officer during the Korean War. He was forced to resign in 1955 after his sexual orientation was discovered.
After entering public life in San Francisco, Milk championed anti-discrimination laws and stood against bigotry. His 1978 assassination, alongside Mayor George Moscone, shocked the nation and galvanized the LGBTQ+ rights movement.
Outrage and Reactions
News of the renaming has drawn immediate backlash. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi condemned the action, calling it:
“A shameful, vindictive erasure of those who fought to break down barriers for all to chase the American Dream.”
She added that such moves undermine national unity and tarnish the principle of honoring diverse contributions to the military and society.
At the ship’s original christening, then-Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro described Milk as a role model of courage and conviction:
“He made a difference. That’s the kind of naval leader we need.”
This move marks a clear departure from the Biden-era values that emphasized inclusion in naming military assets.
