In what has been described as “a cruel insult” to LGBTQ+ individuals currently serving in the United States Armed Forces, the Department of Defense renamed the USNS Harvey Milk Navy ship on Friday, originally named in honor of one of the pioneers of gay activism.
The decision coincides with the celebration of Pride Month, dedicated to celebrating and advocating for the diverse sexual minorities.
Why did the Trump administration change the name of the ship?
“We are going to remove politics from ship naming,” argued Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, justifying the change. Hegseth was appointed to the position despite his lack of experience and ongoing legal accusations of abuse.
However, the measure is seen as the most recent chapter in Donald Trump’s government agenda against minorities, focused on raids and deportations of Latino migrants, undermining civil rights, and eliminating federal programs that promote equality.
The US Navy launched the USNS Harvey Milk in 2021. The Trump administration had already expressed its intention to change its name. “We are not going to keep political names. This is not about political activists, as in the previous administration,” Hegseth stated in a video released by the Pentagon.
The official announced that the new name of the ship will honor Oscar V. Peterson, a World War II veteran posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions. “Military personnel should be proud of the ship they sail on,” he insisted.
The announcement has triggered immediate reactions from Democratic leaders and civil rights organizations, who criticized both the timing and the content of the measure.
Who was Harvey Milk?
Harvey Milk, considered a pioneer in the defense of LGBTQ+ rights, served as an officer aboard the submarine rescue ship USS Kittiwake during the Korean War. In 1955, after two weeks of questioning about his sexual orientation, he was forced to leave the Armed Forces.
Years later, Milk became one of the first openly gay politicians elected in the United States, winning a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. He was assassinated the following year.
Her life was portrayed in the movie “Milk”, with Sean Penn in the leading role.
The former Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, who represents San Francisco, condemned the decision as “a shameful and vindictive removal of those who fought to break down barriers”.
“Harvey Milk served with pride as a lieutenant in the United States Navy and was a formidable force for change, not only in California but throughout the country,” declared on June 3, when reports began to circulate about the intention to rename the ship.
On June 12, Pelosi and 69 other members of the House signed a letter addressed to Hegseth demanding the revocation of the order, and they described the measure as "a cruel insult to the tens of thousands of LGBTQ+ individuals currently serving in our nation’s armed forces."
Pete Hegseth has also expressed opposition to women serving in combat in the military.