WASHINGTON, DC (LOOTPRESS) – U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed the Navy to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, a support ship named in honor of the late San Francisco civil rights icon and one of the first openly gay elected officials in U.S. history.

According to a memo obtained by Military Times, Hegseth ordered Navy Secretary John Phelan to begin the process of renaming the vessel. A defense official cited by the outlet said the timing of the announcement—during Pride Month—was deliberate, signaling what the Department of Defense describes as a cultural shift toward “reestablishing the warrior culture” within the military.

The USNS Harvey Milk was named in 2016 under the Obama administration and began its service in 2024, completing its maiden voyage to San Francisco. Milk, wh

See Full Page