The Navy will rename an oil tanker that named after slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk, U.S. officials told Reuters on Tuesday, the latest move in the military under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to root out diversity, equity and inclusion.
In 2016, the U.S. Navy said it would name one of its new class of oil tankers after Milk, a Navy veteran who later became one of the first openly gay people elected to public office in the United States.
The USNS Harvey Milk was christened in 2021, as part of the John Lewis class of tankers.
A U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the directive for the change came from Hegseth's office.
In a statement, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said Hegseth was committed to ensuring names of military installations and equipment "are reflective of the Commander-in-Chief’s priorities, our nation’s history, and the warrior ethos.
TVNL Comment: This is a disgraceful move. Harvey Milk was an Americn hero who was assassinated for his work to make all Americans equal. He has just been assassinated again.