Navy in Talks to Rename Ship After Trump Instead of Black War Hero

The U.S. Navy has been quietly considering renaming an aircraft carrier that was set to honor Doris Miller, a heroic Black sailor at Pearl Harbor, after President Donald Trump instead.

The effort to rename the planned USS Doris Miller began earlier this year, three sources told CNN Thursday. It’s not yet clear who the newest Gerald R. Ford–class aircraft carrier will be named for, but two of the sources revealed there have been conversations about naming the carrier to honor Trump.

The leaks come after Trump recently ordered redesigns that will waste billions of dollars to put old-fashioned steam catapult technology on board.

Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao and his office had started to look into updating the official guidance for how ships should be named, two of the sources told CNN. No aircraft carrier has ever been named after a sitting president, and naming the vessel after Trump would be a massive break with precedent.

The effort comes amid a wider trend of the Trump administration expunging Black history from American monuments and museums. The White House has also made a concerted effort to rename institutions after the president.

At the same time, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has launched a campaign to remake the U.S. military in his image. The secretary has repeatedly thwarted the advancements of Black and female Defense Department personnel.

One of the sources told CNN that the Navy is looking to name another warship after Miller, who was the first Black sailor to receive the Navy Cross of Valor. When the bombs started to fall at Pearl Harbor, Miller, a mess attendant, aided his wounded commanding officer, and despite having no training, took control of an anti-aircraft gun to defend the base.

Additionally, the Navy is moving to recommend him for a Medal of Honor. Thomas Bledsoe, Miller’s great-nephew, told CNN that the family had not been informed of the Navy’s plan to rename the ship, or its renewed effort to award Miller with the Medal of Honor, something the family had been working on “for years.”