US Navy to rename oil tanker named after gay rights activist Harvey Milk

Washington: The US Navy will rename an oil tanker that had been named after slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk, US officials told Reuters on Tuesday, the military's latest move under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to root out diversity, equity and inclusion.

In 2016, the US 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 US.

The USNS Harvey Milk was christened in 2021, as part of the John Lewis class of tankers.

A US official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the directive for the change came from Hegseth's office.

The official said it was unclear when the renaming would actually take place, but noted that June is Pride Month, observed annually to honor the LGBTQ rights movement.

Another official said it would not be surprising if additional ships in the John Lewis class were renamed, since other tankers honored civil rights and human rights leaders.

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.

"Any potential renaming(s) will be announced after internal reviews are complete," Parnell said.

The planned name change was first reported by military news website Military.com.

Milk served in the US Navy in 1951 as a diving officer during the Korean War. Elected to the San Francisco board of supervisors as the first openly gay California politician, he was killed in office in 1978.

Since taking office in January, Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has eliminated diversity initiatives at the Pentagon, ended observances of identity celebrations such as Black History Month and removed some books from the Naval Academy, including the memoir of celebrated Black author Maya Angelou.

DEI programs seek to promote opportunities for women, ethnic minorities and other traditionally underrepresented groups. Civil rights advocates argue that such programs, generally backed by Democrats, are needed to address longstanding inequities and structural racism.

They have come under attack from conservatives, who say race- and gender-focused initiatives are inherently discriminatory and fail to prioritize merit.

US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the move to change the tanker's name was "disgusting" and "blatant discrimination."

"Hegseth should be ashamed of himself and reverse this immediately," Schumer said on X.

In February, Hegseth chided past celebrations of the US military's diversity in a broad address to Pentagon staff, saying: "I think the single dumbest phrase in military history is 'our diversity is our strength."