US Navy Secretary John Phelan has left his post “effective immediately”, the Pentagon said on Thursday, in the latest senior military departure amid growing tension with Iran.
“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,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell wrote on social media, referring to Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth and Deputy Secretary of Defence Steve Feinberg.
“We wish him well in his future endeavours,” Mr Parnell added.
Undersecretary Hung Cao is to take over as Acting Secretary of the Navy, a civilian position appointed by the president.
The navy did not provide a reason for Mr Phelan's departure, but Reuters and US media have reported that he was dismissed, in part because he had fallen out with Mr Hegseth and other Pentagon leaders, and because he was seen to be moving too slowly in implementing reforms aimed at accelerating shipbuilding.
Earlier this month, Mr Hegseth dismissed army chief of staff Gen Randy George, with the Pentagon also providing no reason for his departure, even as the US was escalating its conflict with Iran.
Also dismissed were Gen David Hodne, who led the army’s transformation and training command, and Maj Gen William Green, who was head of the army’s chaplain corps, US officials told Reuters.
The dismissal of a serving army chief during an active conflict is highly unusual and demonstrates the scale of changes under way at the Pentagon.
Mr Phelan's departure comes after US President Donald Trump extended a ceasefire with Iran indefinitely, and as Pakistan prepares to host a second round of peace talks between Washington and Tehran.
