U.S. Navy weighs naming new carrier CVN-81 after President Trump instead of WWII sailor Doris Miller
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Internal discussions within the Navy suggest the upcoming Ford-class carrier CVN-81 could be renamed for President Donald Trump, replacing the previously announced dedication to World War II hero Doris Miller.
U.S. Navy officials are reportedly considering renaming the Ford-class aircraft carrier designated CVN-81 after President Donald Trump, rather than honoring World War II sailor Doris Miller, according to sources cited by CNN and NBC. The carrier, slated for completion in 2034, has been referred to only by its hull number as the naming decision approaches the expected keel-laying ceremony later this year.
Miller, an African-American mess attendant on the battleship USS West Virginia, was recognized for taking an anti-aircraft gun during the Pearl Harbor attack and later received the Navy Cross. The Navy announced in 2020 that the ship would be the first aircraft carrier named after an African American, citing Miller’s actions as a symbol of the nation’s pursuit of justice.
"Doris Miller was the son of a sharecropper and a descendant of slaves," Acting Secretary Thomas B. Modly said at the 2020 naming ceremony, adding that the ship would honor the contributions of enlisted personnel of all backgrounds.
CNN cited three insiders who said the idea of naming the vessel for Trump is under internal debate, while NBC reported two officials confirming the discussion has lasted months. Naming a carrier after a sitting president would be unprecedented. The White House executive order on shipbuilding references the vessel only as CVN-81 and tasks senior defense officials with reviewing its launch system.
The Navy continues to plan a separate warship to bear Miller’s name and is recommending him for the Medal of Honor, though the White House has not approved the commendation. Miller’s family and members of Congress have long advocated for the award. A Pentagon spokesperson declined to comment on the naming talks.