Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, called on the Navy’s acting secretary to publicly commit to naming the future aircraft carrier CVN-81 after Pearl Harbor hero Doris Miller, warning he would fight any renaming attempt for as long as it takes. Reed’s post on X followed reporting that the Trump administration was internally weighing whether to name the ship after President Donald Trump instead.
Reed: “I’ll Do Everything in My Power … to Reverse It”
“Acting SECNAV should publicly pledge Trump Admin. will keep its commitment to WWII hero Doris Miller’s legacy by naming future aircraft carrier CVN-81 in his honor,” Reed wrote. “If a name change is announced, I’ll do everything in my power btwn now & ship’s 2034 commissioning to reverse it.”
Reed Says Renaming Attempt Would “Insult” Naval Traditions
In a fuller statement released by his office, Reed said: “Doris ‘Dorie’ Miller is a true American hero whose extraordinary courage and sacrifice deserves to be honored with the naming of this future aircraft carrier. Whoever is talking about trying to rename this ship for President Trump is doing him a real disservice and making him look like he’d be willing to seize a World War II hero’s honor. The simple fact is: No U.S. aircraft carrier has ever been named after a sitting president. Breaking that precedent here would be an insult to our sailors and America’s proud Naval traditions.”
CNN Reported Internal Discussions Based on Anonymous Sources
CNN first reported Aug. 20 that the Navy was internally discussing renaming the carrier, based on three sources familiar with the discussions; two of the sources said Trump’s name had come up as a possible replacement. The report was subsequently corroborated by additional reporting from NBC News and other outlets. As of publication, neither the Navy nor the Defense Department had publicly confirmed a final decision; a Pentagon official told several outlets, including Snopes and Military.com, that the department had “nothing to announce at this time.”
Trump’s Own Executive Order Referred to Ship Only by Hull Number
An Aug. 13 executive order Trump signed on Navy shipbuilding, titled “Rebuilding the United States Navy and America’s Shipbuilding Industrial Base,” referred to the vessel only by its hull designation, CVN-81, without mentioning Miller by name, fueling speculation about the ship’s future naming.
Navy Reportedly Considering Separate Ship for Miller and Medal of Honor Recommendation
According to CNN’s sourcing, rather than simply removing Miller’s name, the Navy has discussed naming a different warship after him while separately recommending him for the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military decoration, which would require approval from both Congress and the president.
Miller’s Family Says They Learned of Possible Change From News Reports
Thomas Miller, a relative of Doris Miller, told CNN the family had not been informed in advance of any potential change to the ship’s name. “It was a shock,” he said.
Miller Received the Navy Cross for Actions During Pearl Harbor Attack
Doris “Dorie” Miller, a mess attendant born in Waco, Texas, manned an anti-aircraft gun without prior training during the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor after helping move his wounded commanding officer to safety. He received the Navy Cross in 1942, becoming the first Black sailor to receive the honor, and was killed in 1943 when the escort carrier USS Liscome Bay was torpedoed and sunk in the Pacific.
Hirono Called Miller’s 2020 Naming Historic at the Time
When the Navy named the carrier for Miller in January 2020, Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, said in an official statement that “as the attack on Pearl Harbor began, Petty Officer Doris Miller answered duty’s call,” noting Miller would be the first enlisted sailor honored with a carrier named in his memory. Then-acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly said at the announcement ceremony that the choice honored “the contributions of all our enlisted ranks, past and present, men and women, of every race, religion and background.”
Other Democratic Lawmakers and NAACP Also Objected
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., a retired Navy captain, separately wrote that “Doris Miller was a hero who fought back during the attack on Pearl Harbor and inspired generations of sailors” and that the carrier “shouldn’t be renamed at all.” The NAACP also criticized the reported proposal, saying removing Miller’s name would diminish recognition of Black service members’ contributions to the military.
Trump’s Executive Order Also Ordered Design Changes to the Carrier
Beyond the naming question, Trump’s Aug. 13 executive order directed the secretaries of defense and the Navy to develop a plan to replace CVN-81’s electromagnetic aircraft launch and weapons elevator systems with steam and hydraulic alternatives, a significant engineering change to a vessel already under construction.
Carrier Not Expected to Be Delivered Until 2034
CVN-81, the fourth Gerald R. Ford-class carrier, is under construction at Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia and is not expected to be delivered until 2034 due to shipyard constraints, according to USNI News. A keel-laying ceremony, a milestone construction event, is expected by the end of 2026, putting pressure on the Navy to resolve the naming question in the coming months.