U.S. Navy Secretary John Phelan is stepping down — this was reported by Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell on social media platform X.
“On behalf of the Secretary of Defense and his deputy, we express our gratitude to Phelan for his service in the department and the U.S. Navy,” he wrote.
His deputy, Hung Cao, will temporarily assume the duties of the Navy leader. The reasons for his departure have not been officially disclosed.
The resignation coincided with the ongoing U.S. naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, where the fleet plays a key role.
According to Meduza, Axios sources claim that the decision came as a surprise to many and fits into a trend where military officials during Donald Trump’s second presidential term either resign themselves or are forced to leave their posts.
One of the interlocutors noted that Phelan “did not realize that he was not making key decisions,” and his task was to follow directives, not to form them. It is also reported about his strained relations with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Sources from CNN also speak of disagreements between Hegseth and Phelan.
According to them, the head of the Pentagon was dissatisfied with the pace of implementation of shipbuilding reforms, as well as Phelan’s direct contacts with Trump, which were perceived as an attempt to bypass leadership. However, it is claimed that the final decision on the resignation was made by Trump himself, remaining dissatisfied with the progress of the fleet construction program.
Phelan, who became the 79th Secretary of the Navy, took office on March 25, 2025. Prior to that, he founded and led the investment company Rugger Management in Florida. Among his tasks in the position was the development of shipbuilding and participation in the project to create a “golden fleet” of modern combat ships, initiated by Trump.
