Hegseth Strips LGBTQ Icon's Name From Warship

Fleet replenishment oiler USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO 206) slides into the water during the christening ceremony at General Dynamic NASSCO, San Diego, on Nov. 5, 2021. Photo by Sarah Burford. Public domain.

When the Pentagon ordered the name of a Navy vessel quietly stripped and replaced, the backlash came in waves. Not because the ship was infamous but because of who it honored — and what the change appeared to say about service, sacrifice, and identity in the modern U.S. military.

A New Order at the Pentagon

In June 2025, during the nationally recognized Pride Month, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the U.S. Navy to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, a replenishment oiler named for the slain gay rights icon and Navy veteran.

Milk, the first openly gay elected official in California, was assassinated in 1978, just a year after joining the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

Before his political rise, he served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and was discharged under suspicion of being gay — receiving an "Other Than Honorable" discharge in 1954.

His namesake ship was announced in 2016 and christened in November 2021, representing a milestone for LGBTQ+ representation in the military.

According to internal Navy memos, the renaming was scheduled to be announced during Pride Month, though the new name had not yet been disclosed at the time of reporting.

The Political Undertow

Supporters of the renaming argue it reflects a shift away from activist symbols in military traditions. Critics see a broader campaign to erase minority contributions.

Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin), the first openly gay person elected to the U.S. Senate, criticized the timing during a defense subcommittee hearing, saying she was "disappointed" Hegseth chose to prioritize renaming civil rights vessels over addressing national security threats, as reported by The Hill.

During the same hearing, Hegseth defended the move by stating the Defense Department is "not interested in naming ships after activists," according to The Hill.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell added, "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, our nation's history, and the warrior ethos," according to NPR.

'The War on Warriors' and DEI Reversals

This decision aligns with broader efforts by Hegseth to reverse diversity and inclusion policies. Since taking office, Hegseth has reinstated a ban on transgender service members, eliminated DEI programs, and fired several minority and female military leaders, including Admiral Linda Fagan and Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr.

He has also ordered the removal of more than 26,000 images from the Pentagon website, many depicting the achievements of women and minorities, and banned military observances of Black History Month, Women's History Month, and Pride Month.

In his 2024 book "The War on Warriors," Hegseth criticized what he called the military's "social justice causes" and argued after taking office that "the single dumbest phrase in military history is our diversity is our strength," according to MSNBC.

What's in a Name?

Other John Lewis-class vessels are also reportedly on the Pentagon's review list, including ships named after Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Justice Thurgood Marshall, Harriet Tubman, Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, and Medgar Evers.

The USNS Harvey Milk and its sister ships were named to honor the legacies of civil rights icons — part of a movement to reflect the nation's evolving ideals of representation and recognition.

But under Hegseth's direction, the Pentagon has reversed previous efforts to strip bases and ships of Confederate-linked names, including reinstating the original names of Fort Bragg and Fort Benning.

A Nation Watching the Wake

For some, this is a bureaucratic decision. For others, it's a cultural signal. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi told CBS News the decision was "a shameful, vindictive erasure of those who fought to break down barriers for all to chase the American Dream."

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called it "an utter abomination," while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer urged Hegseth on social media to reverse the order immediately, according to CBS News.

Final Thoughts

The Navy rarely renames ships after commissioning. The Pentagon says it's about "warrior culture," as reported by CBS News. Critics argue it's about exclusion. Whatever the rationale, this moment has put America's values to the test and the name Harvey Milk back in the national spotlight.

References: The bigotry at the heart of Pete Hegseth's Navy ship renaming | Baldwin 'disappointed' Hegseth focused on renaming of USNS Harvey Milk over global threats | Navy set to rename USNS Harvey Milk, mulls new names for other ships named for civil rights leaders | Hegseth orders the Navy to strip gay rights leader Harvey Milk's name off ship