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Navy discusses renaming aircraft carrier after Trump instead of heroic Black sailor
NBC News • • general
Key Points:
- Navy leadership is considering renaming a Ford-class aircraft carrier, currently under construction and set to be named USS Doris Miller, after former President Donald Trump, according to two U.S. officials.
- The USS Doris Miller was originally named to honor Doris Miller, the first Black service member to receive the Navy Cross for his heroic actions during the Pearl Harbor attack, marking the first carrier named after a Black enlisted sailor.
- Discussions about changing the ship's name have been ongoing for several months, with no official Navy comment yet; the decision will involve Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao.
- Doris Miller is also under consideration for the Medal of Honor, which could influence future ship-naming conventions, as destroyers are often named after Medal of Honor recipients, whereas carriers are typically named after presidents.
- The ship may feature the Trump-ordered steam catapult launch system, distinguishing it technologically from other carriers using electromagnetic catapults.
