Hegseth orders renaming of Navy ship named after gay rights icon Harvey Milk: report

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has reportedly ordered the Navy to rename a ship named after gay rights icon Harvey Milk. Documents, sources and memorandum cited by Military.com

indicated the Navy has come up with rollout plans for renaming the oiler ship USNS Harvey Milk.

Defense officials confirmed to the publication that the Navy was making plans to rename the ship, noting that Navy Secretary John Phelan was ordered to do so by Hegseth. The timing of the incident, during Pride month, was intentional, according to the report.

A memo cited by Military.com indicated that the renaming was done in “alignment with president and SECDEF objectives and SECNAV priorities of reestablishing warrior culture,” apparently referencing President Donald Trump, Hegseth and Phelan.

According to Military.com, news of the renaming is slated to be publicly announced on June 13. There was no immediate word on what the ship would be renamed as.

Milk was a gay rights activist who was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1978. During his brief tenure as one of the first openly gay elected officials in the country, Milk championed the gay community and sponsored a bill that outlawed discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Less than a year after taking office, Milk was assassinated along with San Francisco Mayor George Moscone by former supervisor Dan White. White, who served only five years in prison, died by suicide in 1985.

Milk was a U.S. Navy veteran who served for four years and attained the rank of lieutenant.

Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) issued a statement slamming the reported decision to rename the ship:

“Harvey Milk proudly served as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy and was a formidable force for change – not just in California, but in our Country. While he is remembered for his LGBTQ+ advocacy, Harvey fought for the dignity and worth of every person. In San Francisco, we take great pride that our Harvey’s name adorns a mighty ship among a new class of Navy vessels – named for the conscience of the Congress, John Lewis – which honor titans in the fight for freedom. The names of those who fought for civil rights and human rights bring luster to these ships – as their leadership brought luster to America.
 
“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. Our military is the most powerful in the world – but this spiteful move does not strengthen our national security or the “warrior” ethos. Instead, it is a surrender of a fundamental American value: to honor the legacy of those who worked to build a better country.
 
“As the rest of us are celebrating the joy of Pride Month, it is my hope that the Navy will reconsider this egregious decision and continue to recognize the extraordinary contributions of Harvey Milk, a Veteran himself, and all Americans who forged historic progress for our nation.”