In a move drawing sharp political backlash, the US Navy is preparing to remove the name of slain gay rights icon and Navy veteran Harvey Milk from one of its vessels, according to internal documents obtained by CBS News. The decision, which would impact the USNS Harvey Milk, comes during Pride Month and forms part of a wider effort under the Trump administration to curtail diversity and inclusion programs across federal institutions.

The directive, confirmed by a Pentagon spokesperson, outlines plans for Navy Secretary John Phelan to select a new name for the fleet oiler following a legal review. It also identifies other vessels slated for possible renaming, including the USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg—named after the late liberal Supreme Court Justice—and the USNS Harriet Tubman, which honors the famed abolitionist and Underground Railroad conductor.

Sean Parnell, speaking for the Pentagon, said the renaming aligns with President Donald Trump’s broader aim of “re-establishing the warrior culture” within the armed forces. “This is about unity, strength, and military readiness—not social engineering,” he stated.

The USNS Harvey Milk was named in 2016 in recognition of Milk’s service in the Navy and his historic election in 1977 as the first openly gay man to hold public office in California. He was assassinated just 10 months into his term on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, becoming a martyr for the LGBTQ+ rights movement.

The controversial move also follows a directive from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth earlier this year, which banned US military personnel from using government resources for commemorative events tied to heritage or awareness months—including Pride Month, Black History Month, and Women’s History Month. The ban was framed as necessary to “preserve cohesion and unity” in the ranks.

President Trump has doubled down on anti-DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) stances since re-entering office, signing executive orders that bar DEI programs from all government agencies and codify a legal definition of sex based solely on male and female classifications.

Supporters of these measures argue that they restore focus on merit and mission-readiness in the military, but critics view them as politically motivated and discriminatory.

“This is a vindictive erasure of those who fought to break down barriers for all to chase the American dream,” said former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a statement. “Harvey Milk was an American hero.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also weighed in, calling on the administration to halt the renaming. “Hegseth should be ashamed of himself and reverse this immediately,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

The timeline for the public announcement of the renaming has not been finalized, but the leaked documents indicate that internal communications are already underway. As the nation marks Pride Month—a commemoration rooted in the 1969 Stonewall riots—many see the decision as emblematic of a broader cultural retreat.

Whether the names of Milk, Ginsburg, and Tubman will ultimately vanish from US Navy vessels remains to be seen. But the battle over what and whom the military honors has once again become a flashpoint in America’s cultural and political wars.

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