Navy Secretary John Phelan has been fired, a source familiar with the matter says according to Reuters, in another wartime shakeup at the Pentagon coming just weeks after Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth ousted the Army’s top general.
The Pentagon said in a statement that Phelan was “departing the administration, effective immediately,” without providing further details. Reuters was the first to report Phelan was fired.
“On behalf of the Secretary of War and Deputy Secretary of War, we are grateful to Secretary Phelan for his service to the Department and the United States Navy,” said chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell. “We wish him well in his future endeavors.”
The Navy’s No. 2 civilian, Undersecretary Hung Cao, will take over as acting secretary, Parnell said.
