In a stunning and highly unusual move, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the U.S. Navy to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, the first Navy vessel ever named in honor of an openly gay person.
The decision, announced this week, reverses a historic gesture of inclusion and recognition within the armed forces, and has ignited widespread criticism, particularly given the timing—just days into Pride Month.
RELATED: The Legacy of Harvey Milk
The USNS Harvey Milk, a John Lewis-class fleet oiler, was christened in November 2021. It bore the name of Harvey Milk, the trailblazing American politician and gay rights icon who served in the Navy as a lieutenant junior grade during the Korean War. Milk made history in 1977 as one of the first openly gay elected officials in U.S. history, serving on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. His life and career were tragically cut short in 1978 when he and Mayor George Moscone were assassinated at City Hall by Dan White, a disgruntled former supervisor.
Over the years, Milk’s legacy has been honored across media and culture. His story inspired the 1984 Academy Award-winning documentary The Times of Harvey Milk, the 1995 opera Harvey Milk, and the 2008 feature film Milk starring Sean Penn. In 2009, he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.
The 2021 christening of the USNS Harvey Milk was a milestone moment, especially given the military’s long and painful history with LGBTQ+ service members. During the ceremony, then-Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro acknowledged the injustice faced by thousands forced to hide their identities or leave the service entirely due to discriminatory policies like “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” which wasn’t repealed until 2011.
However, in 2025, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth—appointed by President Donald Trump during his second term—has taken a different approach. According to Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, the renaming decision is part of a broader effort to “re-establish the warrior culture” within the Department of Defense and align naming conventions with “the Commander-in-Chief’s priorities, our nation’s history, and the warrior ethos.”
A new name for the ship has not yet been announced.
The decision has been met with strong backlash from advocacy groups, veterans, and lawmakers who view it as an unnecessary and regressive step that undermines the visibility of LGBTQ+ service members. Critics are especially dismayed that the announcement came during Pride Month, a time traditionally dedicated to celebrating the contributions and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community.
Photo Credit: USMC VoteVets (X)
While official statements frame the move as part of a cultural and historical “realignment,” many see it as a signal that inclusion and representation are no longer part of the current administration’s defense agenda. As of now, Milk’s name will be removed from the ship, but his legacy—one of courage, authenticity, and public service—remains as powerful as ever.
REFERENCES: Brittanica, NPR
What do you expect from this horrible administration? Hegseth did not even know that Enola Gay was the name of a mother. Trump 2.0 seems to become KKK 2.0. Disgusting.
I say the next time this country finds itself in an imperialist war of attrition, that the straights fight their own battles. We don’t owe this nation of backstabbing ingrates a goddamn thing.
I agree with Nancy Pelosi. Pete Hegseth never did anything important and thinks this is going to cement his place in history. It will, as a bigot. Next thing you know they’ll scrap the names of African American Leaders and those from other cultures as well. It’s shameful.