United States: Secretary of the Navy fired

The Pentagon announced on Wednesday that John Phelan was leaving his position with immediate effect, becoming the latest senior American defense official to face consequences from the Trump administration.

The news was conveyed late Wednesday in a message posted on X by Pentagon spokesperson and assistant to the Secretary of Defense, Sean Parnell, who stated that the Department of Defense “wished him luck in his future endeavors.”

John Phelan’s mission was primarily to deliver a new generation of warships desired by Donald Trump by 2028. According to several high-ranking Defense and administration officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, Phelan struggled to present a credible plan to meet these almost unrealistic deadlines leading to his dismissal.

Phelan’s departure comes at a time when the navy is highly engaged. Three aircraft carriers are deployed in the Middle East or en route to the region, with the Trump administration asserting that all armed forces are prepared to resume combat operations against Iran if the ceasefire expires.

This announcement is the latest in a series of senior leadership changes at the Pentagon, just weeks after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth dismissed the highest-ranking uniformed Army officer, General Randy George.

Since taking office last year, Pete Hegseth has also removed several other generals, admirals, and defense officials.

These “troop movements” began in February 2025 when Pete Hegseth dismissed military officials across all branches of the US military, including Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the highest-ranking uniformed navy officer, and General Jim Slife, the Vice Commander of the Air Force.

President Donald Trump also fired General Charles “CQ” Brown Jr. as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

John Phelan’s unexpected departure

John Phelan has never served in the military nor held any civilian leadership position within the army. According to his biography, Phelan’s primary connection to the military came from a counseling role at Spirit of America, a nonprofit organization supporting defense in Ukraine and Taiwan.

He was one of the major donors to Donald Trump’s campaign and founded the private investment firm Rugger Management LLC.

On Tuesday, John Phelan addressed a crowd of sailors and industry professionals at the annual US Navy conference in Washington and spoke to journalists about his program, explaining how sudden his dismissal was.

He also met with the leaders of the House Armed Services Committee to discuss the navy’s budget request and efforts to build more ships, as stated in a message from his office on social media.

Number two of the Navy to take interim role

Hung Cao, the Deputy Secretary of the Navy, has replaced John Phelan. Cao, a former US navy officer of Vietnamese origin who arrived in the US after the fall of Saigon, is a rising figure in the conservative camp known for his 25-year military career and firm positions on national security and immigration.

Cao’s bid for the US Senate in Virginia to unseat Democratic Senator Tim Kaine in 2024 failed, although he had the support of Donald Trump in the highly contested Republican primary and spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention.

During his debate with Kaine, Cao criticized COVID-19 vaccination mandates for service members and the military’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. He also expressed opposition to aid to Ukraine when he ran for Virginia Congress in 2022.

“I stand with the Ukrainian people, but currently, we are borrowing $55 billion from China to fund the war in Ukraine. Furthermore, we are depleting our national strategic reserves,” he stated.

Since becoming the Under Secretary of the Navy, Cao has also advocated for the reintegration of military personnel who refused to be vaccinated against COVID-19 during the Biden administration.

Additional Sources: AP