Outrage as Trump's name slated to replace Black war hero on aircraft carrier: 'Egregious'
The Navy is weighing whether to put President Donald Trump's name on an aircraft carrier currently named after Doris Miller.
CNN reported the possible switch on Thursday, noting that the Navy has effectively stopped internally referring to the ship as the USS Doris Miller. The effort to rename the USS Doris Miller has been underway since earlier this year, an anonymous source told CNN.
"Who could possibly be surprised that Donald Trump thinks that he's more befitting an honor like this than a World War II and American war hero?" Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) said during a CNN interview on Thursday. "Doris Miller, this is a man. Donald Trump is a five-time draft dodger. He's called veterans suckers and losers. He refused to go to an American military cemetery in Europe because it was raining."
Miller is known for his actions during the attack on Pearl Harbor, CNN noted. A Thursday segment with Jake Tapper pointed out that he was depicted in the 2001 movie "Pearl Harbor" because of his effort to defend U.S. forces from Japan's attack.
CNN noted that it's unclear when the Navy plans to change the carrier's name. Two anonymous sources told CNN that the Navy has had internal conversations about renaming it to honor Trump. CNN described it as an "unprecedented move" because an aircraft carrier has never been named after a sitting president.
"I really hope this is not true," Crow said. "My hopes are repeatedly dashed under the Trump administration, so it probably is. And we'll fight it like we do many of the other egregious things they do."
Trump recently ordered the USS Doris Miller to rip out its electromagnetic catapults and replace them with steam-powered systems, which is expected to cost billions of dollars.
The Navy is looking to rename another warship after Miller, according to one source who spoke to CNN. It's also planning to recommend Miller for the Medal of Honor, the highest decoration for military valor.