Navy weighs renaming carrier designated to honor Black war hero after Trump: Report
WASHINGTON, DC: The US Navy is apparently weighing whether to change the name of an aircraft carrier that’s still being built. The ship was set to honor Doris “Dorie” Miller, the Black sailor recognized for his heroism during the Pearl Harbor attack. Now, according to sources who spoke with CNN, the Navy is considering naming the carrier after President Donald Trump instead.
So far, nothing’s official. The Navy hasn’t said publicly that Trump will get his name on the ship. Still, two sources told CNN that these talks have happened behind closed doors. If the Navy goes through with it, this would be a first; no US aircraft carrier has ever been named for a sitting president.
Navy reportedly considering new name for carrier once planned for Doris Miller
During Trump’s first term, the Navy announced that the Ford-class carrier would be called the USS Doris Miller, recognizing an enlisted sailor who helped defend US forces from Japan’s attack.
The US Navy is working to rename an aircraft carrier under construction that was set to honor a Black sailor hailed for his heroic actions during the attack on Pearl Harbor, and there have been internal conversations about renaming it to honor President Donald Trump, sources say.… pic.twitter.com/PUYvWrdTWE
— CNN (@CNN) August 20, 2026
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.
It would be an unprecedented move to name an aircraft carrier after a sitting president.
The Navy is looking instead to rename another warship after Miller, according to one of the sources, and is recommending him for the Medal of Honor, the highest decoration for military valor.
The final authorization for the award is up to Congress and approval from Trump.
Miller became the first African American allowed to participate in a War Bond tour alongside White service members. He was killed in 1943 during the Battle of Makin after his ship was struck by a Japanese submarine torpedo.
Thomas Bledsoe, Miller’s great-nephew, said the Pearl Harbor hero's family had not been informed of the change or the renewed effort to award his great-uncle with the Medal of Honor. The family has been working to get him the Medal of Honor “for years,” Bledsoe said, and called the Navy’s move to recommend the honor “very positive.”
1) Aircraft carriers should be named after famous battles or famous ships, not people
— Matt Burnell (@mdburnell) August 20, 2026
2) If they are going to be named after people, they should be named after naval heroes like Doris Miller, not politicians
3) Maryland Congressman Kweisi Mfume introduced a bill authorizing the… https://t.co/DhhN58ScMw pic.twitter.com/0KBKidQjIP
Trump name would mark an unusual shift
The Navy’s thinking about changing how it names its ships. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao and his team are seemingly looking at whether they need to update the rules on who a ship can be named after.
Recently, the Navy apparently stopped calling the carrier the USS Doris Miller in internal discussions. They’re using its hull number, CVN-81, instead. With the keel-laying ceremony coming up later this year, Navy leaders face a deadline. They need to make a decision about the name before that event goes public.
Most US aircraft carriers take their names from presidents, admirals, or other big names in naval history. Right now, the fleet includes the USS Abraham Lincoln, USS George Washington, USS Ronald Reagan, and USS George HW Bush.
None of those ships got their names from a president still in office.
Naming a carrier after Trump would break away from that tradition in a big way.
At the same time, the Navy’s reported decision to honor Miller with a different warship and recommend him for the Medal of Honor keeps the focus on recognizing a sailor whose bravery at Pearl Harbor remains a defining chapter in US naval history.
