Hegseth Orders US Navy To Strip Name Of USS Harvey Milk, Order Coming During Pride Month Is “Intentional”

Military.com reports:

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the Navy to take the rare step of renaming a ship, one that bears the name of a gay rights icon, documents and sources show.

Military.com reviewed a memorandum from the Office of the Secretary of the Navy — the official who holds the power to name Navy ships — that showed the sea service had come up with rollout plans for the renaming of the oiler ship USNS Harvey Milk.

A defense official confirmed that the Navy was making preparations to strip the ship of its name but noted that Navy Secretary John Phelan was ordered to do so by Hegseth. The official also said that the timing of the announcement — occurring during Pride month — was intentional.

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Hegseth has ordered that the USNS Harvey Milk, named for the iconic gay rights icon, be renamed. Harvey Milk served as a diving officer and later as a diving instructor for four years in the U.S. Navy. That this would happen at the start of Pride is intentional.…

— Charlotte Clymer (@cmclymer) June 3, 2025