Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth just renamed a Navy ship that was previously named after Harvey Milk, the gay rights leader. 

The move, according to Fox News, has caused outrage among Democrats, including U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).

Hegseth announced the move in a message that he released to his social media account on Friday. Take a look:

I am pleased to announce that the United States Navy is renaming the USNS Harvey Milk to the USNS Oscar V. Peterson.

We are taking the politics out of ship naming. pic.twitter.com/2ypwAQGdAl

— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) June 27, 2025

It's official

Hegseth announced that the Navy oil tanker will be renamed from the USNS Harvey Milk to the USNS Oscar V. Peterson.

CBS News reports:

The USNS Harvey Milk was christened in 2021 during President Joe Biden's term. In Friday's social media video, Hegseth said that the ship's name change was made in line with "taking the politics out of ship naming. We're not renaming the ship to anything political," Hegseth said. "This is not about political activists, unlike the previous administration. People want to be proud of the ship they're sailing in," Hegseth said.

Peterson, in contrast to Milk, was "a Navy chief watertender who died in World War II and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor."

The timing of Hegseth's move here may be significant. CBS News reports that "Hegseth made the announcement ahead of the last weekend of Pride Month, the monthlong observance of the LGBTQ+ community that also coincides with the anniversary of the Stonewall uprising of 1969."

This helps to explain why activists are so upset with the decision.

Pelosi's livid

In case you were unaware, Pelosi was a massive supporter of naming the ship after Milk.

Last year, she put out a message, saying:

The legacy of Harvey Milk will forever live in San Francisco and beyond as the naval supply ship bearing his name travels the world with a message of LGTBQ+ Equality. Inspired by Harvey to “give ‘em hope!” Democrats will win in November and finally enshrine the House-passed Equality Act into law with liberty and justice for ALL. 

The Democrats, of course, did not win in November. Rather, President Donald Trump did. And, instead of enshrining the referenced act, the Trump administration has taken a drastically different approach, which has now ended up in the ship being renamed.

Suffice it to say that Pelosi is fuming at the move.

She just put out a statement, saying, "It is a shameful, vindictive erasure of those who fought to break down barriers for all to chase the American Dream."