The US Navy has announced plans to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, a ship named after the prominent gay rights activist and Navy veteran, amid a movement by the Trump administration to diminish diversity and inclusion programs within federal agencies. Documentation obtained by BBC's US partner, CBS News, outlines a timeline for this renaming, which is to be made public during June’s Pride Month—a significant period which celebrates LGBT rights and commemorates the Stonewall riots of 1969.
Sean Parnell, a Pentagon spokesperson, stated that the renaming of the USNS Harvey Milk aims to align military culture more closely with the directive from the Trump administration, which seeks to "re-establish the warrior culture" in the armed forces. The memo detailed further plans for renaming other vessels, including the USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg, named after the late liberal Supreme Court justice, and the USNS Harriet Tubman, who is well known for her efforts in the abolition of slavery.
Harvey Milk is recognized as the first openly gay man to hold public office in California, having won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors before his assassination just ten months after taking office. The push to rename the ship comes on the heels of a directive issued by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that discourages military personnel from hosting events related to awareness months, such as Pride or Black History months, citing concerns about military unity.
Trump has also enacted executive orders this year that limit diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in government sectors, formally recognizing only two genders. Advocates for DEI initiatives argue that these programs tackle historical discrimination and underrepresentation, while critics contend that they are reverse forms of discrimination.
The proposed renaming has been met with backlash from influential Democrats, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who labeled this action as a "vindictive erasure of those who fought to break down barriers for all to chase the American dream." Similarly, Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized Hegseth's actions, calling for an immediate reversal of this decision.
