In a move that signals a sharp shift in military priorities under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the United States Navy has been ordered to remove the name of slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk from the USNS Harvey Milk, according to reports confirmed by both Military.com and ABC News.
This decision comes during Pride Month, and according to a defense official, that timing was intentional.
🇺🇸 Aligning with “Warrior Culture”
A memorandum from the Office of the Secretary of the Navy—reviewed by Military.com—shows that the Navy is preparing to rename the vessel at the direction of Defense Secretary Hegseth. The memo states that the name change is meant to bring the Navy in line with President Donald Trump’s and Hegseth’s broader vision of restoring what they call a “warrior culture.”
“The renaming was being done so that there is ‘alignment with president and SECDEF objectives and SECNAV priorities of reestablishing the warrior culture,’” the memo explained, citing the strategic alignment with President Trump, Hegseth, and Secretary of the Navy John Phelan.
A Pentagon spokesman, Sean Parnell, added to that point in a public statement:
“Secretary Hegseth is committed to ensuring that the names attached to all DOD installations and assets are reflective of the Commander-in-Chief’s priorities and our nation’s history.”
The ship, a replenishment oiler that serves as part of the Navy’s logistical fleet, was originally named after Milk by former Navy Secretary Ray Mabus in July 2016, under the Obama administration.
In November 2021, the USNS Harvey Milk was officially christened and launched, becoming one of six ships in its class.
Harvey Milk, a former Navy officer, made headlines in 1978 as California’s first openly gay elected official. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, Milk was seen as a symbol of “honor, courage, and commitment” by many on the political left, particularly for his work in advancing gay rights.
But that legacy has always been controversial.
While Democrats like Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) were quick to condemn the Navy’s decision as petty and politically motivated, others have pointed to deep concerns about Milk’s character and history.
“Our military is the most powerful in the world – but this spiteful move does not strengthen our national security or the ‘warrior’ ethos,” Pelosi posted on X. “It is a shameful, vindictive erasure of those who fought to break down barriers for all to chase the American Dream.”
“How, exactly, does this make our warfighters any safer?” added Coons.
However, not everyone saw it that way.
Mary Rice Hasson, a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, pointed out on social media:
“Harvey Milk was a pedophile. This is the right thing to do.”
That claim has long been a part of Milk’s criticism by many on the right. Joy Pullmann, executive editor of The Federalist, echoed those concerns:
“As I point out in False Flag, Harvey Milk had sex with underage boys. He doesn’t deserve any honors anywhere, ever.”
For many conservatives and military advocates, the renaming is a welcome step toward removing ideological activism from national defense priorities. As the armed forces face recruitment struggles, international threats, and concerns over military readiness, critics argue that naming warships after political activists sends the wrong message to both servicemembers and adversaries.
Under Defense Secretary Hegseth and President Trump’s leadership, the Pentagon appears to be moving back toward a focus on warfighting, deterrence, and traditional values—values that put mission readiness above political symbolism.
