Fact Check: Pelosi Calls Ship Renaming a 'Surrender of a Fundamental American Value'
What We Know
In June 2025, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi criticized the decision by the U.S. Department of Defense to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, a naval ship named after the prominent gay rights activist and Navy veteran. Pelosi described the renaming as "shameful" and "vindictive," asserting that it represented "a surrender of a fundamental American value: to honor the legacy of those who worked to build a better country" (PinkNews). The USNS Harvey Milk was named during the Obama administration and launched in 2021, but the renaming was ordered by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, reportedly as part of a broader initiative to align the Navy's culture with a "warrior ethos" (Fox News).
Analysis
Pelosi's statement has been corroborated by multiple sources, including news articles that directly quote her remarks regarding the renaming of the ship. The context of her statement is critical; it reflects her broader concerns about the implications of erasing historical figures who contributed to civil rights and social progress. The timing of the renaming during Pride Month has been interpreted as particularly provocative, suggesting a politically motivated action against the legacy of LGBTQ+ rights (PinkNews, Fox News).
The reliability of the sources reporting on Pelosi's comments is high, as they include established news organizations and direct quotes from Pelosi herself. The PinkNews article provides a detailed account of the events surrounding the renaming and includes Pelosi's full statement, which reinforces the claim that she referred to the renaming as a "surrender of a fundamental American value" (PinkNews). Additionally, other sources like MSN and Fox News also report similar sentiments expressed by Pelosi, further validating the accuracy of the claim (Fox News, MSN).
Conclusion
The claim that Nancy Pelosi called the renaming of the USNS Harvey Milk a "surrender of a fundamental American value" is True. This conclusion is supported by direct quotes from Pelosi and corroborated by multiple reliable news sources that report on the context and implications of her statement.
Sources
- How To Cut Your Own Hair At Home—Without Regrets - Southern Living
- Harvey Milk name to be stripped from US navy ship in ... - PinkNews
- How to cut your hair at home, according to an experts - Cosmopolitan
- Nancy Pelosi slams 'shameful, vindictive' renaming of Harvey ... - MSN
- How to cut hair your own hair at home, for all hair lengths - Stylist
- Navy ship USNS Harvey Milk to be renamed as part ... - Fox News
- Best Hair Cutting Techniques - The Ultimate Guide - Sam Villa
- Pete Hegseth sparks buzz by renaming USNS Harvey Milk ... - Economic Times
