Navy Secretary John Phelan Fired

John Phelan’s departure marks the second major leadership change at the Pentagon since the start of the Iran war, underscoring the administration’s anxiety over its ambitious naval vision.

Sources indicate that Phelan had clashed with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the timeline for delivering a new class of battleships by 2028.

Hung Cao, a former refugee and partisan firebrand, has been named as the new acting Navy secretary.

The firing has drawn criticism from congressional Democrats, who have questioned the stability of the military’s civilian leadership during an active conflict.