U.S. Navy Secretary Phelan fired by Pentagon, source says
by Phil Stewart · Japan TodayWASHINGTON — U.S. Navy Secretary John Phelan has been fired, a source familiar with the matter said on Wednesday, in another wartime shakeup at the Pentagon coming just weeks after Defense 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.
On April 2, Hegseth fired U.S. Army Chief of Staff Randy George without citing a reason. Two U.S. officials said the decision was tied to tensions between Hegseth and Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll.
The April firings add to recent upheaval at all levels of leadership at the Pentagon, including the firing last year of the previous chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force General C.Q. Brown, as well as the chief of naval operations and Air Force vice chief of staff.
The latest departure comes during a tense ceasefire with Iran, as the U.S. flows more naval assets into the Middle East.
The U.S. military is relying on naval assets to carry out a blockade of Iran, which President Donald Trump is hoping will pressure Tehran to negotiate an end to the conflict on his terms.
© Thomson Reuters 2026.