The U.S. Navy Secretary John Phelan has been dismissed, according to a Pentagon statement released on Wednesday, marking another major leadership change within the U.S. Department of Defense.
The Pentagon said Phelan’s departure is “effective immediately” but did not provide a reason for the decision or clarify whether it was voluntary.
A U.S. official and sources familiar with the matter said his removal was linked to delays in implementing naval reform plans, strained relations with senior Pentagon leadership, and an ongoing ethics investigation within his office.
Hung Cao, the Navy’s number two civilian official, has been appointed acting Navy Secretary.
Phelan, a billionaire with reported ties to former President Donald Trump, becomes the first service secretary appointed under the current administration to be removed since Trump’s return to office.
His dismissal comes amid broader leadership changes at the Pentagon under Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, including multiple senior military firings in recent months.
The Pentagon has not yet named a permanent replacement.