Pentagon Announces Immediate Departure of Navy Secretary John C. Phelan
In his remarks, Parnell said, “We are grateful to Secretary Phelan for his service to the Department and the United States Navy. We wish him well in his future endeavors,” without providing further details about the departure.
Following the move, Undersecretary Hung Cao will assume the role of acting Secretary of the Navy.
Phelan had been appointed to the position by President Donald Trump last year and was later confirmed by the Senate in a 62–30 vote. During his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, he pledged to strengthen the Navy by improving recruitment and retention, as well as expanding the fleet and addressing other operational priorities.
Reports have suggested that his exit comes amid internal tensions within the Pentagon.
According to accounts attributed to US officials, Phelan had faced growing friction with senior defense leadership over several months.
His tenure was described as strained under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg, with reported disagreements linked in part to his perceived close ties with Trump. One point of contention reportedly involved Phelan directly proposing a modern battleship concept to Trump without first coordinating with Hegseth, an action that allegedly aggravated senior defense officials.
The circumstances surrounding his departure have not been formally detailed beyond the official announcement.
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