The Pentagon announced yesterday that US Navy Secretary John Phelan is stepping down from his position, effective immediately.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed the news via social media, stating that Navy Undersecretary Hung Cao will assume the role of acting secretary.
Phelan’s exit marks the latest in a series of high-profile departures from the Trump administration, particularly among military leadership. His resignation occurs during heightened tensions related to the US-Israel conflict with Iran and the continued American blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Parnell expressed gratitude for Phelan’s contributions to the Department of the Navy and wished him success in his future pursuits.
The Navy did not specify the reasons behind Phelan’s resignation, which follows closely on the heels of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s request for Army Chief of Staff Randy George to resign. Additionally, two other Army officials, Gen David Hodne and Maj Gen William Green, have recently been removed from their positions.
Since taking office, Hegseth has dismissed over a dozen senior military leaders, including the chief of naval operations and the vice chief of staff of the Air Force. The secretary’s duties primarily involve administrative responsibilities such as policy development, recruitment, training, and logistical oversight for the Navy.
Phelan, a civilian with no prior military experience, was appointed as Secretary of the Navy in March 2025 after being nominated by President Donald Trump in 2024. A significant financial supporter of Trump’s campaign, Phelan appeared with the former president at Mar-a-Lago last December when Trump announced plans for a new fleet of heavily armed Navy “battleships” named after himself.
Andrew Peek, a former deputy assistant secretary at the State Department, suggested that Phelan’s departure could be linked to dissatisfaction with progress on expanding the country’s merchant and civilian fleets. He speculated that a substantial portion of the decision was due to a desire for leadership changes aligned with Trump’s preferences.
Cao, who has taken over as acting secretary, became undersecretary in October 2025 and is a 25-year veteran of the Navy. He previously ran for the US Senate in Virginia in 2024, backed by Trump, but lost to incumbent Democratic Senator Tim Kaine. During his campaign, he criticized initiatives aimed at promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the military.
As the Navy undergoes this leadership transition, Trump has reiterated that the blockade of Iranian ports will persist even amid a ceasefire in ongoing conflicts. Tensions remain high in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global shipping lane for oil supplies, with Iran recently claiming to have seized two vessels in the area.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the president is “satisfied” with the current naval blockade and believes Iran is in a precarious position.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s chief negotiator in discussions with the US, asserted that reopening the Strait of Hormuz is “not possible” due to alleged violations of the ceasefire by both the US and Israel.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong