US Navy to rename USNS Harvey Milk, named after gay rights leader

The US Navy plans to eliminate the name of the leader of gay rights and the Navy veterans of Harvey Milk from one of its ships and may change the titles of other ships that worship the leaders of civil rights.

The plans were outlined in documents received by the US partner of BBC CBS News, which show a time line for this when the renaming of USNS Harvey Milk will be shared with the public.

It comes during a month of pride in June, annual commemoration of the LGBT Community, which coincides with the anniversary of the Stonewall riots in 1969.

The Directive also comes against the backdrop of a broader movement than the Trump administration to limit programs that promote diversity and inclusion in federal departments.

Sean Parnell, a Pentagon spokesman, told CBS on Tuesday that the renaming of USNS Harvey Milk was to redirect the US military with the Trump administration to “restore the warrior’s culture” in the armed forces.

The Memorandum calls for Navy Secretary John Fellan to choose a new name for Fleet Oiler. This change of name will then be handed over to other senior US Navy officials after a legal examination.

It also outlines other ships recommended for renaming, including USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg, named after the late liberal court of the Supreme Court, and USNS Harriet Tubman, named after US slavery removal.

Harvey Milk is known for being the first open gay man selected for public office in California, winning a place in the San Francisco Supervisory Authority Council. He was killed for 10 months after he was sworn in.

The press for renaming USNS Harvey’s milk comes after a directive issued by Defense Minister Pete Heget earlier this year, instructed US military officials to stop household events bound by inheritance or awareness months.

This directive prohibits the resources and the workforce of being used at events such as Pride Month, the month of black history and the month of women’s history, citing fears that they will undermine unity in the military.

US President Donald Trump also issued executive orders this year, which banned diversity, justice and inclusion (DEI) in the government, which made the US official policy recognize two sexes, men and women.

Proponents of DEI programs say that they relate to historical insufficient performance and discrimination against certain groups, including racial minorities, but critics say such initiatives are in themselves discriminatory.

The transition to the renaming of Harvey’s milk and other ships was criticized by prominent Democrats, including a former House speaker Nancy Pelosi.

In a statement to CBS, Pelosi called this move, “Reverend deletion of those who struggled to destroy the barriers for everyone to chase the American dream.”

Democrats’ minority leader Chuck Sumer Senate wrote on X on Tuesday that heget “should be ashamed of himself and turn that immediately.”