Pentagon abruptly says Navy Secretary John Phelan is departing
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- Navy Secretary John Phelan abruptly resigned, marking the first military service head departure during President Trump's second term amid ongoing tensions with Iran and a naval blockade of Iranian ports.
- No official reason was provided for Phelan's sudden exit; he was replaced by Undersecretary Hung Cao, a Trump loyalist and Navy veteran who previously ran unsuccessful congressional campaigns.
- Phelan, a major Trump donor and political outsider with no prior military leadership experience, had recently engaged with Navy personnel and lawmakers before his departure.
- Cao, known for his conservative views opposing military diversity programs and COVID-19 vaccine mandates, has a background as a Navy SEAL and holds advanced degrees from MIT and Harvard.
- The leadership change comes amid a series of Pentagon shakeups under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has dismissed multiple top military leaders since taking office.
