Overview
- The Pentagon said Wednesday that John Phelan would leave immediately and named Deputy Secretary Hung Cao as acting Navy secretary.
- Officials gave no reason for the change, and CNN, citing six sources, reported he was dismissed, with some saying he was told to resign or be fired.
- The switch comes as U.S. warships enforce a blockade of Iranian ports during a fragile cease-fire, with 29 vessels redirected and two boarded, according to CNN reporting carried by KRDO.
- The move follows weeks of churn across top posts, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s April 2 dismissal of Army Chief of Staff Randy George and earlier senior departures.
- The acting secretary now oversees how the Navy is organized, trained, and equipped, decisions that shape ship deployments, maintenance schedules, and daily routines for sailors and civilians at shipyards.