John Phelan, the highest civilian official in the US Navy, is stepping down “with immediate effect,” the Pentagon said on Wednesday, April 22, without providing an explanation for his sudden departure, as the United States is embroiled in a conflict with Iran.
The Pentagon spokesperson, Sean Parnell, wrote in a statement on X that this senior official is “leaving the administration with immediate effect,” specifying that his deputy, Hung Cao, will now assume his duties on an interim basis. This latest departure adds to the list of high-ranking officials in the US military being removed without explanation since Donald Trump returned to the White House in January 2025.
Earlier this month, in the midst of the war against Iran, the Chief of Staff of the US Army, General Randy George, was also pushed out overnight, with no communication of justification from the Pentagon.
– Context: Series of sudden departures of high-ranking military officials in the US. – Fact Check: No official reasons given for the departures.
