“Doris Miller earned his place in American history through courage, sacrifice, and service. Donald Trump only wants to serve himself,” Johnson said.

The US Navy has declined to comment on the reports. The White House referred questions to the Department of Defense, which also declined to comment.

Who was Doris Miller?

Miller was serving as a Navy cook aboard the USS West Virginia when Japanese forces attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

Despite having no formal training to operate the weapons system, Miller reportedly manned an anti-aircraft machine gun and fired at Japanese aircraft during the attack. He also helped move the ship’s mortally wounded captain to safety while the vessel was under enemy fire.

For his actions, Miller was awarded the Navy Cross, becoming one of the most prominent Black American servicemen of the Second World War. His family has for years campaigned for his Navy Cross to be upgraded to the Medal of Honor.

Miller continued to serve after Pearl Harbor. He was killed in 1943 when the aircraft carrier escort USS Liscome Bay was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine. About two-thirds of the ship’s crew died in the attack.

Why has the renaming sparked controversy?

Critics say replacing Miller’s name with Trump’s would erase the tribute to a sailor whose bravery helped challenge racial barriers within the US military.

Johnson also criticised the reported plan in the context of conditions faced by current service members.

“It’s beyond comprehension for a president to want his own name on a Navy ship while our armed forces are living in deteriorating conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln,” he said.

He accused Trump of turning military service into “another opportunity for personal branding”, arguing that American service members “signed up to defend the nation, not the fragile ego of one man”.

The controversy also comes against the backdrop of the Navy’s tradition of naming its major warships after figures and institutions associated with American military history, rather than honouring a sitting president.

If the reported plan goes ahead, the vessel would mark a significant departure from that tradition and from the original intention to honour Miller, whose actions at Pearl Harbor made him one of the most celebrated Black servicemen in US history.