President Donald Trump delivers a speech aboard the USS George Washington aircraft carrier in October 2025. Recent media reports indicate that Navy officials are considering renaming the future aircraft carrier USS Doris Miller for Trump. (US Navy/Mass Communication Spc. Seaman Roselia Garcia)

US Navy Could Rename Future USS Doris Miller Carrier After Trump

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The optics of renaming a ship from a Black war hero to the sitting president are poor—but skeptics have opposed the naming of the future USS Doris Miller for years.

The United States Navy is reportedly considering renaming the fourth nuclear-powered Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier. The warship, which was officially ordered during President Donald Trump’s first term, is currently planned to be named for Messman Second Class Doris Miller, a mess attendant on the battleship USS West Virginia who became the first Black recipient of the Navy Cross for his heroism during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941.

However, the future aircraft carrier—which has yet to begin major construction—might be named for Trump instead of Miller, CNN first reported on Thursday, citing three sources familiar with internal US Navy discussions. Even if it isn’t named for Trump, it could be named for someone other than Miller.

“It’s unclear what the Navy is seeking to change the name of the carrier to, though two of the sources said there have been internal conversations about renaming it to honor Trump,” CNN explained.

Though many aircraft carriers have been named for US presidents, the Navy traditionally waits until a president has left office before commissioning a warship in his honor. It would be unprecedented for any warship, especially an aircraft carrier, to be named for a sitting president—though it should be noted that the future CVN-81 won’t be completed until the mid-2030s, well after Trump is out of office.

Doris Miller’s Heroic Service

Doris Miller was aboard the battleship USS West Virginia (BB-48) anchored in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, when Japanese aircraft launched a surprise attack on the naval base. After a torpedo destroyed his assigned battle station, Miller reported to the bridge, carried the ship’s mortally wounded captain away from the heavy fire, and guided other injured sailors through oil and water to safety.

After others had safely evacuated........

© The National Interest