Washington DC:US Navy SecretaryJohn Phelanwas fired on Wednesday (local time) by the Donald Trump administration. Confirming the development, the Pentagon said that Phelan resigned from his position. The development came days after Army Chief General Randy George was fired by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. The Pentagon has not given any reasons for Phelan's abrupt exit. However, some reports claimed that he had "bad relations" with Hegseth.
Sources told news agency Reuters that Phelan was dismissed as he was allegedly moving too slow to implement reforms to speed shipbuilding, and he also had fallen out with key Pentagon leadership. The report also claimed that Phelan did not have good relations with Hegseth, his deputy, Steve Feinberg, and Hung Cao, the Navy's No. 2 civilian.
Notably, Cao will now take over as acting Navy secretary, reported Reuters. Phelan is the first administration-picked service secretary who was fired after Donald Trump became the US President.
Phelan had no prior military experience before his nomination in late 2024. He was recognised as a significant donor to Trump’s campaign and established Rugger Management LLC, reported The Associated Press. His main connection to military matters reportedly stemmed from his advisory role at Spirit of America, a nonprofit organization supporting defense initiatives for Ukraine and Taiwan.
Also Read:Who Is General Randy George? Pete Hegseth Fires US Army Chief Of Staff Amid Iran War
Phelan's departure comes at a crucial time for the Navy, which has three aircraft carriers deployed in the Middle East amid the ongoing conflict with Iran.
Hegseth Fired Army Chief Earlier This Month:
On April 2, Hegseth fired George without giving any reason. However, several reports claimed that there was a rift between Hegseth and General George senior officer promotions and control over Army decisions. According to CBS News, these changes coincide with Hegseth's recent intervention in an Army disciplinary matter, where he overruled the suspension of an aircrew that flew by a celebrity's residence, declaring on social media, "No punishment. No investigation. Carry on, patriots."
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