NAACP condemns Navy's reported plan to rename carrier after Trump

Black community leaders on Friday said the U.S. Navy is reconsidering the name of an upcoming Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier, potentially replacing the planned honor for World War II sailor Doris Miller with President Donald Trump. Miller, a Black enlisted sailor who helped rescue wounded crew and operated an anti-aircraft gun during the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, has long been advocated for the Medal of Honor and was slated to become the first African American after whom a carrier would be named.

"This is a slap in the face to every war hero and to every service member who has worn the uniform," NAACP President Derrick Johnson wrote on X, adding that it was "beyond comprehension for a president to want his own name on a Navy ship while our armed forces are living in deteriorating conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln."

The Navy announced the Miller naming in 2020, and the vessel, designated CVN-81, is expected to be completed by 2034 with a keel-laying ceremony slated for late 2026. Officials from the Navy and the Pentagon declined to comment on the reported change.

Rep. Debbie Dingell, who has advocated for Miller’s Medal of Honor, also objected, stating that naming the carrier after Miller honors the essential role of African Americans in U.S. history. CNN reported that the Navy may still name another ship after Miller and continue to recommend him for the Medal of Honor, while NBC noted that the White House has not approved the award.

Civil-rights attorney Ben Crump said Miller’s actions at Pearl Harbor demonstrated heroism despite systemic racism, and warned that replacing his name would diminish recognition of such heroes.

If the carrier retains the Miller name, it would be the first U.S. warship named after an African American. Miller’s family was not reached for comment.