NAACP Denounces Navy's Disgraceful Move to Honor Trump Over Black War Hero
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Black leaders and the NAACP have forcefully condemned the Navy's reported plan to strip WWII hero Doris Miller—a Black sailor—of the honor of having a carrier named after him, in favor of Donald Trump. This decision is seen as a blatant erasure of Black contributions and a perpetuation of white supremacist glorification.
On Friday, Black community leaders expressed outrage as news emerged that the U.S. Navy is considering abandoning its commitment to name a Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier after Doris Miller, a Black World War II hero, in favor of President Donald Trump—a figure whose administration was marked by divisive and racist policies. Miller, who risked his life rescuing wounded crew and manning an anti-aircraft gun during the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, has been denied the Medal of Honor for decades due to systemic racism. Naming a carrier after him would have been a long-overdue recognition of Black service members' sacrifices.
NAACP President Derrick Johnson condemned the move as 'a slap in the face to every war hero and to every service member who has worn the uniform,' highlighting the hypocrisy of a president seeking personal glorification while neglecting the dire conditions faced by sailors aboard ships like the USS Abraham Lincoln. The Navy had announced the Miller naming in 2020, with the vessel CVN-81 expected by 2034, but now refuses to comment on the reported reversal, reflecting a lack of transparency and accountability.
Rep. Debbie Dingell, a staunch advocate for Miller’s Medal of Honor, emphasized that honoring Miller is essential to acknowledging the central role of African Americans in U.S. history—a role too often erased or minimized. While CNN reported the Navy might still name another ship after Miller, and NBC noted the White House has yet to approve the Medal of Honor, these gestures are seen as empty promises if the carrier is renamed for Trump.
Civil-rights attorney Ben Crump underscored that Miller’s heroism at Pearl Harbor occurred despite the crushing weight of institutional racism, and warned that removing his name would further marginalize Black heroes. If the Navy proceeds with this disgraceful plan, it will once again prioritize the legacy of a president associated with racism over the true valor of Black Americans. Miller’s family was not reached for comment.