Navy weighs stripping Black Pearl Harbor hero’s name from aircraft carrier — possibly to honor Trump.

A historic aircraft carrier name is reportedly under review

The U.S. Navy is considering whether to remove the name of Doris Miller, a Black World War II hero celebrated for his courage at Pearl Harbor, from an aircraft carrier under construction, according to CNN reporting published by Bakersfield’s 23ABC.

Three people familiar with internal discussions told CNN that officials are working toward changing the name of the future carrier, identified by its hull number, CVN-81. Two sources said naming the vessel after President Donald Trump has been discussed.

No final replacement name has been announced, and the reporting does not establish that Trump has personally ordered the change. A Defense Department spokesperson told CNN there was nothing to announce, while the Navy referred questions to defense officials.

If the carrier were renamed for Trump while he remains president, it would represent a break from the practice described in CNN’s reporting: Although several American carriers honor presidents, those vessels did not first enter service while their namesakes occupied the White House.

The distinction matters because the proposal is not simply about adding another presidential name to the fleet. It would potentially remove an honor already promised to a sailor whose service helped expose the contradiction between America’s fight for freedom overseas and racial segregation within its own military.

Read the source: CNN / 23ABC: Navy considers renaming carrier honoring Doris Miller ↗

Doris Miller defended his ship during the attack on Pearl Harbor

Miller, who was from Waco, Texas, enlisted in the Navy in 1939, when Black sailors faced severe restrictions on the jobs available to them. He was serving as a mess attendant aboard the USS West Virginia when Japanese forces attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

During the assault, Miller helped move wounded sailors, including his commanding officer. He then operated an antiaircraft gun despite having received no formal training on the weapon, according to historical accounts cited by CNN and the Navy.

His actions became a landmark example of courage under fire. Admiral Chester Nimitz presented Miller with the Navy Cross in 1942, making him the first Black American to receive the decoration, according to the historical reporting reviewed for this article.

Miller later continued serving during World War II and was killed in 1943 when the escort carrier USS Liscome Bay was torpedoed during operations near Makin Atoll. His life and service have remained central to efforts to recognize Black veterans whose contributions were long minimized or overlooked.

An official Navy photograph from 1942, preserved through the National Archives and reproduced with this article, shows Miller after receiving the Navy Cross. The image is a public-domain federal government photograph.

Read the source: U.S. Navy: Official 2020 announcement naming the USS Doris Miller ↗

The Navy honored Miller during Trump’s first administration

The original decision to name CVN-81 after Miller was announced during Trump’s first term. On January 20, 2020, then-acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly named the future USS Doris Miller during a Martin Luther King Jr. Day ceremony at Pearl Harbor.

The Navy’s official announcement described the selection as historic in two ways: Miller would be the first Black American honored with the name of an aircraft carrier, and the carrier would be the first named for a sailor’s actions while serving in the enlisted ranks.

The ceremony connected Miller’s wartime service to the broader history of Americans who defended the country while still being denied equal treatment at home. The Navy framed the naming as recognition of heroism that transcended race, rank and political affiliation.

Modly later told CNN that the choice had been recommended by retired Black admirals and that recognizing a sailor such as Miller would draw attention to the sacrifices of all service members, not only their commanders.

That history complicates any suggestion that the name was merely a recent political addition. The honor was publicly announced under a Republican administration, at a formal military ceremony, and was documented in an official Navy release that remains available online.

Read the source: White House: August 2026 shipbuilding memorandum referring to CVN-81 ↗

Officials reportedly discussed a different ship and a Medal of Honor

According to CNN, one source said the Navy is considering naming another warship after Miller instead. The same reporting said officials are recommending Miller for the Medal of Honor, the military’s highest decoration for valor.

Miller’s great-nephew, Thomas Bledsoe, told CNN the family had not been informed about a potential carrier name change or the renewed Medal of Honor effort. He said relatives had pursued the higher decoration for years and viewed the recommendation positively.

A proposed Medal of Honor recommendation does not mean the award has been approved. CNN reported that final authorization would involve Congress and the president.

Naming another vessel after Miller would also be different from preserving the original carrier tribute. Aircraft carriers hold an unusually prominent place in the Navy’s fleet, and the 2020 announcement specifically emphasized the significance of placing an enlisted Black sailor’s name on that class of vessel.

CNN reported that some Navy officials have increasingly referred to the future carrier by its hull number rather than its existing name. A White House shipbuilding memorandum issued August 13 likewise identifies the carrier as CVN-81 while discussing proposed changes to its launch and weapons-elevator systems.

Read the source: Wikimedia Commons: Public-domain U.S. Navy photograph of Doris Miller ↗

What is confirmed, what is not, and what happens next

The confirmed historical record is clear: The Navy officially named the future aircraft carrier USS Doris Miller in January 2020, and the White House’s recent shipbuilding memorandum refers to the same vessel as CVN-81.

The potential removal of Miller’s name and internal discussions about Trump come from CNN’s reporting based on unnamed sources. Those discussions have not been accompanied by a formal public renaming announcement, and the Defense Department has not confirmed a final decision.

CNN reported that the carrier’s keel-laying ceremony is anticipated later this year, creating pressure for officials to settle the vessel’s name before a major public construction milestone. The ship itself is not expected to be delivered until 2034, according to reporting cited by the network.

For Miller’s family, military historians and Americans who view the original naming as overdue recognition, the stakes extend beyond one vessel. The decision would determine whether one of the Navy’s most visible symbols continues to honor a sailor who confronted enemy fire while serving in a segregated institution.

This story will be updated if the Navy, the Defense Department, the White House or Miller’s family releases additional information about the carrier’s name or a possible Medal of Honor recommendation.