Navy Reportedly Considering Changing Name of Aircraft Carrier Honoring Black World War II Hero To Honor Trump

The U.S. Navy is considering changing the name of an aircraft carrier set to be named after a black World War II sailor hailed for his heroism during the attack on Pearl Harbor and renaming the ship in honor of President Trump, according to new reports.In January 2020, the Navy announced plans to name one of its Ford-class aircraft carriers after Doris Miller, a mess attendant who manned anti-aircraft guns — despite having no training — against Japanese planes and helped evacuate wounded sailors on December 7, 1941. However, the ship, which is still under construction and set to be commissioned in 2034, may be getting a new name, according to CNN. The network says it is unclear whether the Navy has settled on a new name, but cites two unnamed sources saying there have been “internal discussions” about renaming the ship after Mr. Trump. The Navy is also considering naming a different ship after Miller, and recommending him for the Medal of Honor, CNN reported.NBC News says it has confirmed the CNN report with two unidentified administration officials. The Department of Defense told The New York Sun and other news outlets that it has nothing to announce at this time.Navy officials have reportedly been exploring changing the name of the Miller since the beginning of the year, and meanwhile have simply referred to it by its hull number, CVN-81. The decision to name the forthcoming Ford-class ship after Miller marked the first time an aircraft carrier was set to be named after an enlisted sailor or an African American seaman. There are several aircraft carriers named after American presidents, such as the USS Abraham Lincoln, the USS Gerald R. Ford, and the USS Theodore Roosevelt, though none of those ships set sail while the president whose name it bore was still in office. If the new ship were to be named after Mr. Trump, it also would not set sail until after Mr. Trump completes his second term.Mr. Trump has also announced plans to build 15 nuclear-powered “Trump-class” battleships, which the Congressional Budget Office projects could cost on average $18 billion per ship. The Ford, the Navy’s largest aircraft carrier, cost roughly $13 billion to build. The reported conversations about renaming the aircraft carrier after Mr. Trump marks the latest example of Trump administration officials changing names to honor the president.In December, Board of Trustees at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts — which was stocked with Trump appointees — voted to add the 47th president’s name to the building. A federal judge blocked the name change but the board of trustees tested the limits of that ruling when it voted this month to place the words “restored and renovated by President Donald J. Trump” on the building, and to name the grounds “President Donald J. Trump Plaza.”The president’s name has also been added to the headquarters of the U.S. Institute of Peace. There is pending litigation over whether the Trump administration had the authority to take over the institute.

Navy Reportedly Considering Changing Name of Aircraft Carrier Honoring Black World War II Hero To Honor Trump

Navy Reportedly Considering Changing Name of Aircraft Carrier Honoring Black World War II Hero To Honor Trump

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