The Navy exists to project strength, not politics, and these ship names need a serious overhaul.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth just made waves—and not the kind you ride on a float at Pride. The Pete Hegseth Navy ship renaming effort goes beyond symbolism. It’s a course correction for a military that’s veered off mission. Hegseth ordered the Navy to strip the name USNS Harvey Milk from one of its supply ships.
Yes, that Harvey Milk—the San Francisco supervisor turned gay rights icon. He served briefly in the Navy before leaving under less-than-stellar circumstances. His controversial past includes a relationship with a teenage runaway.
He didn’t earn a Medal of Honor. He never led troops into battle, and he certainly didn’t die in service to his country. Yet somehow, his name ended up on a U.S. military vessel.
Until now.
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. – Military.com
💥 Why Hegseth’s Navy Ship Renaming Order Matters
Hegseth isn’t stopping at Harvey Milk. He’s launched a broader review of the entire John Lewis-class of Navy oilers—a series of politically named ships honoring activists and public figures who had little to no military combat background.
Ships under review include:
- USNS Thurgood Marshall
- USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg
- USNS Harriet Tubman
(All part of the John Lewis-class oilers—named after political figures with little to no military combat background.)
And while not part of that class, the USS Gabrielle Giffords (a littoral combat ship) also fits the same trend: a politically driven name honoring a civilian with no combat record. Giffords survived a horrific attack, yes—but honoring her on a warship designed for active operations sends the wrong message about what military service actually means.
These names may inspire in classrooms and courtrooms—but warships aren’t lecture halls. They are built for combat, deterrence, and projection of American power.
⚓ The Problem with Politically Named Navy Ships
The U.S. Navy has drifted into identity politics—naming ships to appease social movements rather than honor battlefield excellence. That’s not “inclusion.” That’s dilution.
The USS Gabrielle Giffords, for instance, was named while she was still alive and has no military service background. A survivor? Yes. A fighter? Certainly. But not a warfighter in the military sense.
Naming ships after activists, judges, and politicians—however noble their causes—confuses the Navy’s mission. These are not tribute floats. These are ships of war.
This isn’t the first time Secretary Hegseth has pushed to bring the military back to its combat roots. Earlier this year, he reversed years of lowered physical standards by restoring traditional combat fitness requirements across all branches. Because apparently, being able to actually fight is more important than ticking diversity boxes. You can read more about that move right here. It’s all part of a bigger mission: reclaiming the U.S. military as a warfighting force, not a social experiment in camouflage.
Oh, and let us not forget about this cat that the Navy hired to help build recruitment back in 2023?
The U.S. Navy hired this non-binary drag queen as a “digital ambassador” to try to recruit people pic.twitter.com/l3LIEtndVD
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) May 2, 2023
If Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth aims to reinvigorate the Navy’s warfighting spirit, it’s essential to honor individuals whose valor and leadership epitomize military excellence.
🔥 Warrior-Inspired Names the Navy Should Use Instead
If Hegseth wants to bring back a warfighting spirit to the fleet, here are real American heroes the Navy should be naming ships after:
⚔️ USS Robert O’Neill
The Navy SEAL who shot Osama bin Laden during Operation Neptune Spear. Enough said.
⚔️ USS Edward Byers
Rescued a U.S. hostage in Afghanistan during a high-risk mission. Killed terrorists, shielded civilians, and lived to tell it.
⚔️ USS Paris Davis
One of the first Black Special Forces officers. Rescued his men under fire in Vietnam—was finally awarded the Medal of Honor in 2023 after a six-decade wait.
This list barely scratches the surface. America has no shortage of warriors, Medal of Honor recipients, battlefield legends, and unsung heroes who actually earned their place in military history. From World War II to Iraq and Afghanistan, there are plenty more names worthy of being etched into steel and sent into battle. The Navy doesn’t need to settle for symbolic gestures when it has an entire arsenal of real-life grit to draw from.
💡 Conclusion: Pete Hegseth Brings Back Combat Honor—Not Cultural Theater
Pete Hegseth’s move to rename the USNS Harvey Milk isn’t “bigoted,” “divisive,” or “political.” It’s a correction. A long-overdue one.
The Navy isn’t here to uplift every trending hashtag. It exists to fight and win wars. And the ships that carry our flag into hostile waters should bear names that strike fear in our enemies—not raise eyebrows back home.
Let the activists get libraries. Let the justices get courthouses. But our warships? They should be named after warriors.
Feature Image: Created in Canva Pro
AMEN