The U.S. Navy is internally discussing a plan to rename a future aircraft carrier, potentially naming it after President Donald Trump.

 

Trump is planning to give a aircraft carrier his own name

The U.S. Navy is internally discussing a plan to rename a future aircraft carrier, potentially naming it after President Donald Trump.

The Gerald R. Ford-class ship (hull number CVN-81) was designated in January 2020 to be named the USS Doris Miller. This original choice was meant to honor a Black World War II hero who became the first African American sailor to receive the Navy Cross for his bravery during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

 

Current Status of the Name Change

• Internal Reassessment: Reports indicate that Navy officials have spent months debating whether to strip Miller's name from the under-construction vessel. Internal operations have already largely dropped the name, referring to the ship strictly as CVN-81.

“Two sources indicated internal conversations about renaming the ship to honor Trump, though CNN reported that it remains unclear what the Navy intends to call it.” -- [Military.com].

• Alternative Honors for Miller: To offset the removal, naval officials are reportedly considering naming a different type of warship (such as a destroyer) in Miller's honor, alongside promoting his ongoing nomination for the Medal of Honor.
• No Official Announcement: Neither the Pentagon nor the White House has formally finalized or confirmed the change. Ship-naming authority formally rests with acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Context and Historical Precedent

If the ship is renamed the USS Donald J. Trump, it would mark an unprecedented move in modern naval history because aircraft carriers are traditionally not named after sitting presidents.

While many active U.S. aircraft carriers bear the names of past presidents—such as the USS George H.W. Bush or USS Ronald Reagan—none of those ships set sail or were officially commissioned while their namesakes were actively serving in office. The vessel itself is currently being built in Virginia and is not expected to be delivered to the Navy until 2034