Democrats are already throwing a fit over this.
In a powerful return to honoring real American heroes, President Donald Trump’s administration has renamed a U.S. Navy ship that once carried the name of a controversial political activist.
Honoring a True Hero: Oscar V. Peterson
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday that the former USNS Harvey Milk will now be known as the USNS Oscar V. Peterson, named after a decorated World War II Navy Chief Petty Officer and Medal of Honor recipient.
During the Battle of the Coral Sea in 1942, Chief Peterson heroically led a damage control team aboard the USS Neosho after it was hit by Japanese dive bombers. Despite being gravely wounded, Peterson managed to manually shut off critical valves, helping keep the ship afloat and saving countless lives.
“This is what true service and sacrifice looks like,” Hegseth said. “Oscar Peterson is a name every American can be proud of.”
Removing Politics from the Military
Hegseth emphasized that this change is part of a broader mission to remove political agendas from the U.S. armed forces. A video released by the Department of Defense reaffirmed that ship names should reflect honor, bravery, and legacy—not activism or identity politics.
“We are taking the politics out of ship-naming,” Hegseth stated. “This administration is focused on real heroes, not symbolic gestures.”
The renaming comes shortly after President Trump’s executive order in January that banned the use of gender identity policies and mandatory pronoun usage in the military—sparking a national conversation about the role of political correctness in America’s defense institutions.
Democrats Slam the Decision
As expected, Democrat lawmakers and progressive activists quickly condemned the decision. They claim it’s an attack on “diversity,” despite the fact that Oscar Peterson’s valor saved lives in combat—a stark contrast to Milk’s legacy as a political figure with no combat distinctions.
The original name, USNS Harvey Milk, was assigned in 2016 by the Obama administration. Milk, a Navy veteran and gay rights activist, was chosen as part of a campaign to reflect “diversity” in military naming conventions.
More Ship Renamings Could Follow
According to insider reports, Hegseth is also considering renaming several other vessels tied to liberal political figures. Those ships include:
- USNS Cesar Chavez
- USNS Medgar Evers
- USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg
- USNS Dolores Huerta
- USNS Thurgood Marshall
- USNS Lucy Stone
- USNS Harriet Tubman
The Trump administration appears committed to restoring honor and apolitical tradition across the military—something many veterans and patriotic Americans have long demanded.
Bottom Line: Real Heroes Deserve Real Recognition
While the Left cries foul, millions of Americans are cheering this return to values, duty, and honor. By spotlighting war heroes like Oscar V. Peterson, President Trump is once again showing leadership that puts service over symbolism—and America first.