Overview

• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the Navy to strip Harvey Milk’s name from a John Lewis–class oil replenishment ship as part of a broader push to “reestablish the warrior culture.”
• Internal documents recommend renaming at least seven other vessels honoring civil rights icons, including Thurgood Marshall, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Harriet Tubman, contingent on further Pentagon review.
• Senate Democrats led by Sen. Adam Schiff introduced a resolution to oppose the changes but were blocked by Senate Republicans citing naval naming traditions and plank owner input.
• Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed that any official renaming decisions will be announced after the completion of internal reviews, signaling the process is ongoing.
• Critics from retired Admiral James Stavridis to Bay Area leaders, LGBTQ+ veterans and elected officials condemned the move as an affront to service values and the legacies of honored figures.