{"id":2442473,"date":"2025-06-03T18:19:01","date_gmt":"2025-06-03T22:19:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dod-orders-renaming-of-naval-vessel-named-after-gay-veteran\/"},"modified":"2025-06-03T18:20:30","modified_gmt":"2025-06-03T22:20:30","slug":"dod-orders-renaming-of-naval-vessel-named-after-gay-veteran","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dod-orders-renaming-of-naval-vessel-named-after-gay-veteran\/","title":{"rendered":"DOD orders renaming of naval vessel named after gay veteran"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdod-orders-renaming-of-naval-vessel-named-after-gay-veteran%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2442473&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth&#8217;s consideration of renaming the U.S. Navy vessel currently named after Harvey Milk, a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >renowned gay rights activist<\/a> and veteran. The decision was reportedly scheduled to be revealed on June 13,as indicated by a memo from the Office of the Secretary of the Navy.The purpose of the name change is said to align with the priorities of the current management, aiming to reestablish a &#8220;warrior culture&#8221; within the military. The vessel, named in 2016, honors Milk, who served during the Korean War and became the first <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-state-department-used-your-tax-dollars-to-fund-a-film-festival-that-depicted-drag-queens-incest-and-pedophilia\/\" title=\"The State Department Used Your Tax Dollars To Fund a Film Festival That Depicted Drag Queens, Incest, and Pedophilia\">openly gay elected official<\/a> in California. The potential renaming has faced backlash from Democratic leaders, who view it as a destructive attempt to erase critically important historical contributions to civil rights. This move coincides with broader shifts within the Department of Defense under Hegseth&#8217;s leadership, which includes the removal of diversity and inclusion initiatives and the reversal of previous name changes for military bases associated with the Confederacy.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Hegseth mulls changing name of naval vessel named after gay veteran Harvey Milk<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2114210\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Secretary of Defense <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pete-hegseth\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Pete Hegseth<\/a> is reportedly considering renaming a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/navy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">U.S. Navy<\/a> vessel currently named after famed gay rights activist and veteran Harvey Milk.<\/p>\n<p>The secretary&rsquo;s decision has not been publicly announced, though it was slated to be revealed on June 13, according to a memo from the Office of the Secretary of the Navy obtained by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.military.com\/daily-news\/2025\/06\/03\/hegseth-orders-navy-strip-name-of-gay-rights-icon-harvey-milk-ship.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Military.com<\/a>. The memo did not reveal the new name of the USNS <em>Harvey Milk<\/em>, a John Lewis-class oiler.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/3430110\/army-passes-active-duty-recruiting-goal-ahead-schedule\/\">Army passes active duty recruiting goal ahead of schedule<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/3429868\/us-greenland-northern-command-european-command\/\">US considers shifting Greenland to command responsible for defending the homeland<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3429774\/ncis-protection-navy-secretary-internal-review\/\">NCIS launches internal review following <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ncis-launches-internal-review-following-navy-secretary-security-failure-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"NCIS launches internal review following ... ... security failure - Washington Examiner\">navy secretary security failure<\/a><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The memo noted that the name change is being done to ensure &ldquo;alignment with president and SECDEF objectives and SECNAV priorities of reestablishing the warrior culture.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell did not deny the renaming decision in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Secretary Hegseth is committed to ensuring that the names attached to all DOD installations and assets are reflective of the Commander-in-Chief&rsquo;s priorities, our nation&rsquo;s history, and the warrior ethos,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Any potential renaming(s) will be announced after internal reviews are complete.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The Office of the Secretary of the Navy did not respond to a request for a comment. The ship may not be the only naval vessel named after prominent civilian leaders to be renamed.<\/p>\n<p>The oiler was named after Milk, who served in the Navy during the Korean War, in 2016. About two decades after accepting an &ldquo;other than honorable&rdquo; discharge from service because of his homosexuality, he won a seat on the San Francisco board of supervisors in 1977, which made him the first openly gay California politician to be elected to office. A year later, he was assassinated.<\/p>\n<p>Multiple Democrats were quick to rebuke the possible renaming.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The reported decision by the Trump Administration to change the names of the USNS&nbsp;Harvey Milk&nbsp;and other ships in the&nbsp;John Lewis-class is a shameful, vindictive erasure of those who fought to break down barriers for all to chase the American Dream,&rdquo; former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Our military is the most powerful in the world &ndash; but this spiteful move does not strengthen our national security or the &lsquo;warrior&rsquo; ethos,&rdquo; she added. &ldquo;Instead, it is a surrender of a fundamental American value: to honor the legacy of those who worked to build a better country.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The decision, which coincides with Pride Month, is the latest example of the secretary&rsquo;s efforts to dismantle the department&rsquo;s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts by removing related programs, policies, positions, books, and social media posts.<\/p>\n<p>Hegseth has also brought back two <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/removal-of-confederate-names-could-affect-hundreds-of-sites\/\" title=\"Removal of Confederate Names Could Affect Hundreds of Sites\">military base names<\/a>, Fort Bragg and Fort Benning, which had been changed in 2023 due to their namesakes&rsquo; connections to the Confederacy.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/3428675\/operation-spiders-web-ukraine-creative-fight-russia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">OPERATION SPIDER&rsquo;S WEB SHOWS HOW CREATIVE UKRAINE CAN GET IN TAKING FIGHT TO RUSSIA<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Similarly, House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said: &ldquo;That&rsquo;s a complete and total disgrace. It&rsquo;s an utter abomination in terms of the extreme back Republican effort to continue to erase American history, and we&rsquo;re not going to allow it to happen.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Under Hegseth&rsquo;s leadership, the department has also sought to push out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/army-investigating-chaplain-who-said-transgender-people-unqualified-to-serve\/\" title=\"Army Investigating Chaplain Who Said Transgender People \u2018Unqualified To Serve\u2019\">transgender service members<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2114210\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2114210\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hegseth considers renaming Navy ship honoring gay veteran Harvey Milk<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2671,"featured_media":2442474,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/USNS-Harvey-Milk.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[11570,56477,33240,56476,4642],"class_list":["post-2442473","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-dod","tag-gay-veteran","tag-lgbtq-rights","tag-naval-vessel","tag-renaming"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/USNS-Harvey-Milk.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2442473","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2671"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2442473"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2442473\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2442477,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2442473\/revisions\/2442477"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2442474"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2442473"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2442473"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2442473"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}