US Navy to rename USNS Harvey Milk, named after homosexual rights chief

The US Navy plans to take away the identify of homosexual rights chief and Navy veteran Harvey Milk from one in every of its ships, and should change the titles of different vessels honouring civil rights leaders.

The plans had been outlined in paperwork obtained by BBC’s US accomplice CBS News that present a timeline for when the renaming of USNS Harvey Milk can be shared with the general public.

It comes throughout Pride Month in June, an annual commemoration of the LGBT group that coincides with the anniversary of the Stonewall riots in 1969.

The directive additionally comes amid a broader motion by the Trump administration to curb programmes that promote variety and inclusion throughout federal departments.

Sean Parnell, a spokesman for the Pentagon, instructed CBS on Tuesday that the renaming of the USNS Harvey Milk is to realign the US navy with the Trump administration’s objective of “re-establishing the warrior tradition” within the armed forces.

The memo requires Navy Secretary John Phelan to pick out a brand new identify for the fleet oiler. That identify change would then be communicated to different senior US Navy officers after a authorized overview.

It additionally outlines different vessels really helpful for renaming, together with the USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg, named after the late liberal Supreme Court justice, and the USNS Harriet Tubman, named after the American slavery abolitionist.

Harvey Milk is thought for being the primary brazenly homosexual man to be elected to public workplace in California, successful a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. He was assassinated 10 months after he was sworn in.

The push to rename the USNS Harvey Milk comes after a directive issued by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth earlier this 12 months instructing US navy personnel to cease internet hosting occasions tied to heritage or consciousness months.

This directive banned assets and manpower from getting used on occasions like Pride Month, Black History Month and Women’s History Month, citing issues that they’d undermine unity within the navy.

US President Donald Trump additionally issued govt orders earlier this 12 months that banned variety, fairness and inclusion (DEI) within the authorities, and that made it official US coverage to recognise two sexes, female and male.

Supporters of DEI programmes say they deal with historic underrepresentation and discrimination towards sure teams, together with racial minorities, however critics say such initiatives are themselves discriminatory.

The transfer to rename the Harvey Milk and different ships has been criticised by distinguished Democrats, together with former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

In a press release to CBS, Pelosi referred to as the transfer a “vindictive erasure of those that fought to interrupt down boundaries for all to chase the American dream”.

Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on X on Tuesday that Hegseth “needs to be ashamed of himself and reverse this instantly.”