Hegseth orders renaming of Navy ship honoring gay rights activist Harvey Milk
- In June 2025, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the Navy to rename the oiler vessel that had been designated in honor of Harvey Milk, the gay rights advocate and Navy veteran, in Norfolk, Virginia.
- This directive represents a wider reversal of previous efforts supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion, with vessels honoring prominent figures from civil rights history now being considered for renaming.
- The USNS Harvey Milk, launched in 2021 and part of the John Lewis-class named for civil rights icons, honors Harvey Milk, a Navy veteran and early openly gay elected official.
- Navy documents show the renaming announcement will occur during Pride Month though the new name remains undisclosed; Hegseth aims to restore what he calls a 'warrior culture.
383 Articles
383 Articles


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CA governor, others upset over renaming of USNS Harvey Milk
(The Center Square) - Elected officials in California are voicing contempt for plans to take gay rights activist and Navy veteran Harvey Milk's name off a U.S. naval ship.
Pentagon May Strip Names of Harvey Milk and Other Civil Rights Icons from Navy Ships
As June marks LGBTQ Pride Month, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is planning to strip the name of legendary gay rights activist Harvey Milk from a Navy ship honoring him. Harvey Milk was one of the first openly gay politicians in the United States. He was assassinated in 1978, a year after winning election to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, gunned down along with San Francisco Mayor George Moscone by a former city supervisor. Hegseth is a…
‘Cruel and petty and stupid’: SF leaders furious over plan to erase Harvey Milk’s name from Navy ship
By Janie Har | Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO — Leaders in San Francisco are blasting the Trump administration for stripping the name of gay rights activist Harvey Milk from a U.S. naval ship, and especially during Pride Month, when people gather to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. Milk is a revered figure in San Francisco history, a former city supervisor and gay rights advocate who was fatally shot along with Mayor George Moscone in 1978 by dis…
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wants to rename a ship named in honour of gay rights activist Harvey Milk. ...
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