Bangladesh, July 5 -- The naming of a United States Navy aircraft carrier is never a routine administrative decision. It is a statement about the nations history, its values, and the individuals it chooses to immortalize. Aircraft carriers are among the most formidable symbols of American power, serving as floating sovereign territory and representing the sacrifices of generations of sailors. That is precisely why the decision to name the future USS CVN-82 after former President Bill Clinton deserves serious reconsideration.

Announced by the outgoing administration of Joe Biden just days before leaving office, the designation of the future carrier as the USS William J. Clinton has sparked controversy among many veterans and naval observe...