Defense Secretary Orders Navy to Rename Ship Honoring Harvey Milk

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the Navy to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, a ship named after the late gay rights activist and Navy veteran, as part of a broader effort to realign military assets with President Trump's priorities and to reestablish what is described as a 'warrior culture.' The decision, announced during Pride Month, signals a rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within the military, drawing sharp criticism from political figures such as Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who denounce the move as discriminatory and an erasure of LGBTQ+ progress. Named in 2016 and christened in 2021, the USNS Harvey Milk honors Milk’s legacy as the first openly gay elected official in California and his Navy service during the Korean War. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell affirmed the commitment to ensure names of military assets reflect the Commander-in-Chief’s priorities and indicated further renaming actions could follow pending internal reviews. The renaming reflects a continuation of Hegseth’s broader campaign to purge left-wing and diversity initiatives from the armed forces, including ending observances like Black History Month. The Department of Defense and Navy have yet to provide detailed timelines or formal responses to media inquiries about the renaming process.