Washington, D.C. — Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell announced on X (formerly Twitter) that John C. Phelan, the U.S. Secretary of the Navy, is stepping down immediately and will leave the Pentagon without delay.
Kabul 24: The announcement came abruptly, with no official reason provided for the resignation.In his post, Parnell, speaking on behalf of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Deputy Secretary Steve Feinberg, thanked Phelan for his service and wished him well in his future endeavors.
Phelan had served in the position for approximately 13 months.John C. Phelan, a billionaire and major donor to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, was nominated and confirmed in late 2024. He lacked prior military experience and focused primarily on ambitious plans to expand the Navy fleet, including proposals for new, high-cost battleships.
These initiatives occasionally sparked internal debates within the Pentagon.According to the Pentagon, Hung Cao, the current Deputy Secretary of the Navy, will serve as Acting Secretary. Cao, a U.S. Navy veteran with over 25 years of service, was sworn in as Deputy in October 2025.
He brings significant operational and management experience, having overseen the department’s massive annual budget of more than $250 billion and nearly one million personnel.
This departure marks the first exit of a service secretary during Trump’s second term and appears to be part of broader leadership adjustments at the upper levels of the Pentagon in recent months.
Media outlets such as CNN and The New York Times, citing anonymous sources, have reported tensions between Phelan and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth regarding shipbuilding reforms and fleet modernization plans. However, the Pentagon has not commented on any internal disagreements, describing the change as an administrative matter.
The news comes at a sensitive time for the U.S. Navy, which is currently involved in significant operations in the Middle East, including maintaining a naval blockade of Iranian ports as part of the ongoing ceasefire.
Experts suggest that such leadership changes during critical periods could affect the continuity of long-term Navy programs, although Cao’s military background may provide temporary stability.Overall, the announcement reflects the ongoing restructuring and recalibration of the Trump administration’s defense leadership team.
As of now, no further details have been released regarding the exact reasons for Phelan’s departure or Hung Cao’s specific plans as Acting Secretary.
