US Secretary of the Navy John Phelan leaves his post. I mentioned Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell on social media
“On behalf of the Secretary of Defense and Deputy Secretary of Defense, we thank Phelan for his service to the Department and the U.S. Navy,” he wrote.
Representative Phelan Hong Kau will serve as acting Secretary of the Navy. The reasons for resignation are unknown.
CNN TV channel Orientation Please note that Phelan’s resignation came against the backdrop of the ongoing US naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, in which the Navy plays a key role.
Axios Sources They sayPhelan’s dismissal “surprised many” and was added to the list of military officials who “either resigned suddenly or were forced to leave their positions” during President Donald Trump’s second term. “Phelan didn’t realize he wasn’t in charge. His job is to carry out orders given, not ones he thinks should be given,” one person told Axios. According to him, Phelan “did not get along” with Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth.
Several CNN sources also reported on tensions between Hegseth and Phelan. An interviewer adds that, in Hegseth’s opinion, Phelan was moving too slowly in implementing shipbuilding reforms. Hegseth was also “troubled” by Phelan’s direct outreach to Trump, which the Pentagon chief saw as an attempt to circumvent him. At the same time, the decision to resign Phelan, according to the channel’s sources, was made by Trump himself, dissatisfied with the pace of the shipbuilding program – during a meeting with Hegseth on this issue, “he was convinced of the need to replace Phelan,” CNN wrote.
John Phelan, 79th Secretary of the Navy, was sworn in on March 25, 2025. Prior to his appointment, he was founder and president of the Florida-based private equity firm Rugger Management. In his position, Phelan was also responsible for the shipbuilding program and participated in the “Golden Fleet” of modern warships, which Trump announced the creation of.