Pentagon Removes Harvey Milk Name from Navy Ship Amid Civil Rights Backlash

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the removal of gay rights leader and Navy veteran Harvey Milk's name from the USNS Harvey Milk, a Navy ship christened in 2021. This decision, reportedly aligned with President Donald Trump's priorities to reinforce a 'warrior culture,' has sparked strong backlash from Milk's biopic collaborators Dustin Lance Black and Sean Penn, who criticized Hegseth as petty and lacking wisdom, framing the move as a divisive culture war tactic. The Pentagon confirmed the renaming would follow internal reviews, with other ships named after civil rights icons also potentially facing changes. Democrats, including Senator Adam Schiff, condemned the renaming, asserting Milk's legacy as a courageous public servant and LGBTQ trailblazer, though some critics have highlighted controversial aspects of Milk's past. The controversy underscores the ongoing cultural and political battles over recognition of civil rights figures in the military and public spaces under the Trump administration. Both supporters and detractors of the renaming invoke Milk's complex legacy, reflecting broader tensions in American society regarding LGBTQ history and military values.