gg2
Senator attacks Navy renaming for Trump
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
The U.S. Navy is considering renaming the USS Doris Miller aircraft carrier after President Trump. The move has drawn criticism from Senator Mark Kelly and Miller's family.
Background
The USS Doris Miller was designated in 2020 to honor Doris Miller, a Black sailor who heroically manned an anti-aircraft gun during the Pearl Harbor attack. The Navy is reportedly considering renaming the carrier after President Trump, sparking controversy over the treatment of a war hero's legacy.
How it unfolded
- 2020The Ford-class aircraft carrier CVN-81 was designated as the USS Doris Miller, the first carrier named for an enlisted sailor and an African American.
- 2025The Navy convened a renaming commission under then-Secretary of the Navy John Phelan to review ship naming policies.
- Aug 20, 2026CNN reported that the Navy is weighing renaming the carrier after President Trump, and that Miller's family had not been informed.
- Aug 21, 2026Senator Mark Kelly criticized the move on X, and Miller's great-nephew Thomas Bledsoe said the family was not informed.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- The Navy has not officially commented on the renaming plans.
- Critics
- Senator Mark Kelly said the carrier shouldn't be renamed at all, let alone for Trump, who has denigrated service members.
- Family
- Miller's great-nephew Thomas Bledsoe said the family was not informed but called the renewed Medal of Honor effort 'very positive.'
Still unverified
The renaming plan is based on a CNN report citing unnamed sources; the Navy and White House have not commented.