Navy officials are considering stripping the name of Doris Miller, a celebrated Black World War II hero, from a new aircraft carrier and potentially renaming the vessel for President Donald Trump, according to three sources familiar with the matter. Such a move would be unprecedented, as no Navy vessel has been named for a sitting president.
The Ford-class aircraft carrier, currently under construction, was christened the USS Doris Miller in 2020 during the Trump administration. The decision to honor Miller was announced on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Miller gained renown for his heroic actions during the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. Serving as a cook aboard the USS West Virginia, he helped evacuate his mortally wounded captain and then manned an anti-aircraft gun, downing at least one Japanese aircraft despite lacking formal training.
For his bravery, Miller was awarded the Navy Cross, the service's second-highest combat decoration. His citation notes that he "assisted in moving his captain, who had been mortally wounded, to a place of greater safety, and later manned and operated a machine gun directed at enemy Japanese attacking aircraft until ordered to leave the bridge." Miller died in November 1943 when his ship, the USS Liscome Bay, was torpedoed during the Battle of Makin.
The USS Doris Miller would have been the first aircraft carrier named for a Black American and the first to honor an enlisted service member. A destroyer named for Miller entered the fleet in 1972 and was decommissioned in 1991.
Sources indicated that discussions about renaming the carrier have been ongoing for most of the summer. The White House referred questions to the Pentagon, which had no comment. A Navy spokesperson stated the service "has no announcement to share at this time."
Additionally, sources familiar with the discussions revealed that Miller is under strong consideration for an upgrade of his Navy Cross to the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest combat valor award. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly sent a memo to Congress recommending Miller for the honor.
Aircraft carriers are typically named for presidents, while Medal of Honor recipients are more commonly honored with destroyers. However, there are exceptions, such as the USS Carl Vinson, named for a prominent Democratic congressman.
Renaming a Navy vessel is uncommon. Recent instances include the removal of Confederate names from ships and the renaming of a ship honoring Harvey Milk, a Navy veteran and gay rights activist, by order of Secretary Hegseth.
Thomas Bledsoe, Miller's great-nephew and family spokesperson, described the possibility of a name change as a "shock" to his family. He expressed hope that the change would not occur but acknowledged hearing that another carrier might be named in Miller's honor. "The best outcome would be not to rename it," Bledsoe stated, expressing a desire for the current generation to see the ship launch under Miller's name. He added that it would be a "disappointment" if the name changed without another ship being named for him.
During a White House event in February 2020, Trump remarked that he had not received the honor of having an aircraft carrier named for him and suggested it might happen in the future. The former president's name has been attached to other public facilities, including the President Donald J. Trump International Airport in Florida and the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace. A legal dispute also exists regarding Trump's name appearing on the Kennedy Center.