Reports that the US Navy is considering renaming its latest Ford-class carrier No. 4, currently designated as the “Doris Miller,” to the “USS Trump,” have sent shockwaves through American public opinion.
According to The Hill on the 22nd, the name of WWII hero Doris Miller could be removed from the next US Navy aircraft carrier, with President Trump emerging as the leading candidate for the replacement name. CNN reports that the Navy has been in internal discussions about renaming CVN-81, the fourth Ford-class vessel. While an official decision hasn’t been finalized, sources confirm that the idea of naming the carrier after Trump has been floated seriously within Navy circles. “Naming an aircraft carrier after a sitting president would be an unprecedented move,” noted a report from NBC, citing two US officials who say the leadership has been mulling over this proposal for months.
As detailed by Military.com, Doris Miller served aboard the battleship USS West Virginia during World War II. Due to segregation policies at the time, he, as a Black sailor, was assigned to mess duties. During the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, when the West Virginia was severely damaged and command was paralyzed, Miller first tended to the wounded captain, then manned an anti-aircraft machine gun and fired relentlessly at Japanese planes until his ammunition ran out. His actions were used to boost morale after the Pearl Harbor disaster, and he was celebrated as a Navy hero. In 1942, Admiral Nimitz personally presented Miller with the Navy Cross, making him the first Black sailor to receive such a high honor.
The Navy previously named a frigate after Miller, and in 2020, it decided to name the newest Ford-class carrier in his honor. But now, that legacy is being reconsidered.
CNN reports that even before the media caught wind of the naming debate, the Navy had already stopped using “Doris Miller” internally, referring to the ship simply as “CVN-81.” Notably, Trump’s latest National Security Presidential Memorandum also only mentions CVN-81, directing the Pentagon and Navy to redesign future Ford-class carriers—starting with CVN-81—by replacing the electromagnetic aircraft launch system with steam catapults.
As a potential compromise, Military.com suggests the Navy might bestow Miller’s name on another warship and posthumously award him the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military decoration.
The urgency to finalize the carrier’s name stems from the fact that its keel-laying ceremony is scheduled for the end of this year. By tradition, once that ceremony occurs, the name is rarely changed. According to the US Naval Institute, due to construction delays, the new carrier may not be commissioned until 2034.
The idea of naming a carrier after a sitting president has ignited fierce backlash across the country. While it’s true that many Nimitz- and Ford-class carriers bear the names of former presidents—like the Abraham Lincoln, George H.W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, and George Washington—every single one of them was named after a president who had already left office. Trump, who never served in the military, replacing a WWII hero’s name with his own has drawn widespread scorn. Critics on social media slammed the move, saying the Navy’s naming tradition has “devolved from honoring naval values and heroes to serving as presidential campaign merchandise.”
Beyond the naming controversy, there’s growing concern that Trump is reshaping the Navy to suit his personal preferences. He’s previously pushed for “Trump-class” battleships, widely dismissed as anachronistic. Now, he’s demanding that from CVN-81 onward, the Navy abandon the more advanced electromagnetic catapults in favor of steam, and relocate the aft island to the midsection—changes that experts say could compromise operational efficiency.
Analysts warn that these alterations could add billions in costs, further delay shipbuilding schedules, and inflict long-term damage on the Navy’s strategic planning.