Harvey Milk, gay rights leader and Navy veteran, was recognised for his pioneering role in civil rights by having a US Navy ship named after him – but the Trump administration intends changing that, documents show.
Milk was the first openly gay man elected to public office in California. He was assassinated ten months after he was sworn in.
The BBC reports that its US partner CBS News has seen documents showing a timeline for when the renaming of USNS Harvey Milk would be shared with the public..
In a statement to CBS, former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi called the move a “vindictive erasure of those who fought to break down barriers for all to chase the American dream”.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell is quoted as saying that the renaming of the USNS Harvey Milk is to realign the US military with the Trump administration’s goal of “re-establishing the warrior culture” in the armed forces.
The documents outline other vessels recommended for renaming, including the USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg, named after the late liberal Supreme Court justice, and the USNS Harriet Tubman, named after the American slavery abolitionist.
[Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/stewf/3172635135]