Black community leaders expressed sharp criticism on Friday, Aug. 21, regarding reports that U.S. Navy officials are considering a move to name an upcoming aircraft carrier after President Donald Trump, replacing the previously planned tribute to World War II hero Doris Miller. Miller, a Black enlisted sailor from Waco, Texas, gained historical significance during the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Despite having no formal training on the weapon, Miller manned an anti-aircraft gun to engage Japanese planes and successfully carried wounded sailors to safety. He was killed in a Japanese torpedo attack in 1943.
Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP, condemned the reported shift in a statement posted to X. "This is a slap in the face to every war hero and to every service member who has worn the uniform," Johnson said. He further questioned the priority of the move, stating, "It’s 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 had previously announced on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2020, during the first Trump administration, that the fourth vessel in the new Gerald R. Ford-class carriers would be named after Miller. At that time, then-Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas B. Modly praised Miller as a symbol of the nation's pursuit of justice, noting that as a sharecropper's son and descendant of slaves, Miller refused to be defined by the prejudices of others. If named as originally planned, the carrier would have been the first to bear the name of an African American.
Supporters have campaigned for decades to have Miller awarded the Medal of Honor, arguing that his initial receipt of the Navy Cross was a result of systemic racism. While Miller was also awarded the Purple Heart, the American Defense Service Medal, the Fleet Clasp, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal, the highest decoration for military valor has remained elusive. In the 1940s, Rep. John Dingell Sr. of Michigan and U.S. Sen. James Mead of New York attempted to secure the Medal of Honor for Miller, but their efforts were rejected by then-Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox.
U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, who has continued her father-in-law’s advocacy, also voiced her opposition to the reported name change. "Doris Miller represented courage, sacrifice, and the essential role African Americans have played in defending this country," she stated. "Naming this carrier after him is more than honoring one extraordinary sailor — it recognizes that African Americans are an essential part of American history."
According to reporting by CNN and NBC News, the Navy is currently evaluating the change of the vessel, currently designated as CVN-81, from the USS Doris Miller to potentially the USS Donald Trump. While the ship is not expected to be completed until 2034, the Navy typically finalizes a name before the keel-laying ceremony, which is slated for the end of 2026. CNN reported that the Navy is recommending Miller for the Medal of Honor and plans to name a different warship after him, though NBC noted that the White House has not yet approved the commendation.
The White House referred questions regarding the matter to the Pentagon, while both Navy and Pentagon officials declined to comment. Doris Miller’s family could not be immediately reached for comment. Currently, only one other ship, the Knox-class frigate USS Miller (FF-1091), bears the name of the war hero.
