Hegseth orders Navy to drop gay rights activist's name from oiler

The Navy is also reportedly mulling renaming other vessels, including ships named for Harriet Tubman and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

By Ben Whedon

Published: June 3, 2025 4:21pm

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has ordered the Navy to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, a oil ship named after the first openly gay man elected to public office in California.

The ship was named in 2016 and the Navy does not appear to have selected a new name for the ship. Military.com first reported the renaming, citing a memo from the Office of the Secretary of the Navy.

The renaming comes amid Pride Month and earned applause from conservative figures, many of whom pointed to Milk's darker history, including alleged predatory behavior.

The Navy is also reportedly mulling renaming other vessels, including ships named for Harriet Tubman and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, CBS News reported.