Retired Admiral James Stavridis criticizes Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's decision to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, arguing the move contradicts the Navy's acceptance of openly gay service members. Stavridis questions the rationale behind the renaming, particularly its timing during Pride Month, and challenges the claim it restores the "warrior ethos." The controversy highlights the debate surrounding LGBTQ+ representation in the US military and the implications of potentially erasing historical figures like Harvey Milk, a pioneering gay rights activist and Navy veteran
Retired Admiral Stavridis Questions USNS Harvey Milk Renaming: Hegseth's decision to rename the Navy ship honoring Harvey Milk, the pioneering gay rights activist, is criticized as contradicting the inclusive nature of today's military. Stavridis highlights the service of openly gay sailors and questions the rationale behind the renaming, particularly its timing during Pride Month
Retired Admiral Stavridis questions Defense Secretary Hegseth's decision to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, arguing that openly gay sailors proudly and competently serve in the U.S. military. He finds the stated reason—restoring the "warrior ethos"—incomprehensible, especially given Harvey Milk's Navy service and legacy as an LGBTQ+ icon
Harvey Milk: LGBTQ+ Icon, Navy Veteran, and San Francisco Politician. A pioneer for LGBTQ+ rights, Milk was the first openly gay man elected to public office in California. He served in the Navy during the Korean War before being forced to resign in 1955. Posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2012), a Navy ship was named in his honor (2016), a testament to his enduring legacy
Defense Secretary Hegseth's controversial decision to rename the USNS Harvey Milk during Pride Month sparks outrage. The unusual timing of the order, intentionally coinciding with June, raises questions about its true motive, as reported by Military.com
Pentagon Dodges Question on Hegseth's Pride Month Ship Renaming: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's decision to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, a ship honoring the first openly gay elected official, has sparked controversy. The timing of the order, coinciding with Pride Month, raised concerns, but a Pentagon spokesperson's response failed to address them directly. The statement offered only that Secretary Hegseth aims to align military naming conventions with national priorities and the "warrior ethos," ignoring questions about the decision's apparent symbolism during LGBTQ+ Pride celebrations
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirms Secretary Hegseth's commitment to aligning Department of Defense (DOD) asset names with the Commander-in-Chief's priorities, national history, and the warrior ethos. Further announcements regarding any potential renaming will follow internal review completion
Pentagon Remains Silent on Hegseth's Controversial USNS Harvey Milk Ship Renaming Timing, Despite Pride Month Coincidence. A Defense Department spokesperson offered no further information regarding the decision's timing, following Secretary Hegseth's order to remove Harvey Milk's name from the Navy vessel
Former Supreme Allied Commander Europe Admiral James Stavridis refutes the renaming of the USNS Harvey Milk, highlighting the long history of LGBTQ+ service members in the US military, including the decades of service by openly gay soldiers
Retired Admiral James Stavridis criticizes the renaming of the USNS Harvey Milk, arguing that openly gay individuals serve with distinction in the US military, including at the highest levels of government. He highlights the irony of this decision, given the significant contributions of LGBTQ+ service members and the historical context of Harvey Milk's service and legacy. Stavridis points out that Alexander the Great, arguably history's greatest general, was also gay, further emphasizing the irrelevance of sexual orientation to military competence
Retired Admiral Stavridis criticizes the renaming of the USNS Harvey Milk during Pride Month, questioning the Defense Secretary's reasoning and highlighting the service of openly gay sailors. He finds the timing insensitive and the justification for restoring "warrior ethos" illogical, given Milk's legacy and the current inclusivity within the Navy
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi vehemently opposes Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's decision to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, criticizing the move as unnecessary and insensitive
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“The reported decision by the Trump Administration to change the names of the USNS Harvey Milk and other ships in the John Lewis-class is a shameful, vindictive erasure of those who fought to break down barriers for all to chase the American Dream,” Pelosi said in a statement.
“Our military is the most powerful in the world — but this spiteful move does not strengthen our national security or the ‘warrior’ ethos,” she said.
Gay, lesbian and bisexual people have been openly serving in the U.S. military since 2011, when President Barack Obama signed a bill into law repealing the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. President Joe Biden lifted a ban on transgender people openly serving in the military in 2021, but President Donald Trump reinstated the ban this year.
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