The U.S. Navy is considering renaming its Ford-class aircraft carrier USS Doris Miller (CVN-81) after former President Donald Trump, officials and media reported on August 20. The ship was originally named to honor Doris Miller, a Black Navy cook and World War II hero awarded the Navy Cross for his actions during the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
USS Doris Miller is the first U.S. carrier planned to bear the name of an enlisted sailor and the first named after an African American. Naming the ship after a sitting president would mark an unprecedented step for the Navy, which is updating its naming guidelines to explicitly permit such honors [1, 2, 3, 6, 4, 5].
The Navy began internal discussions about the renaming early this year, 2026, and has stopped publicly referring to the carrier as "USS Doris Miller," instead using its hull number CVN-81. Sources say the Navy is also considering assigning the Doris Miller name to another ship and is recommending Miller for a Medal of Honor, which would require congressional and presidential approval [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
Doris Miller distinguished himself by manning anti-aircraft guns during the surprise Pearl Harbor attack without formal training, an act of valor recognized with the Navy Cross. Thomas Modly, former Navy Secretary, said, "We should name one of our most powerful warships after a sailor like Miller so more people understand what makes our Navy so unique and so great." He added that ship names can "create patriotic symbols and unity," and honoring Miller "elevates all sailors' courage, patriotism, and sacrifice, not just their commanders" [1, 2, 4, 5].
The keel laying ceremony for CVN-81 is scheduled for late 2026. With this deadline approaching, the Navy faces pressure to make a final decision on the ship's name soon. The carrier is expected to be delivered in 2034 [1, 3, 4, 5].
