US Secretary of the Navy John Phelan will leave office “immediately,” the Pentagon announced Wednesday, without providing an explanation for the sudden exit.
Phelan’s departure follows the removal of top US Army officer general Randy George and two other senior officers earlier this month, at a time when the United States is locked in a war with Iran that still remains unresolved.
Pentagon confirms sudden leadership change
Phelan “is departing the administration, effective immediately,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement on X, adding that he would be replaced in an acting capacity by Undersecretary Hung Cao.
Since returning to office early last year, US President Donald Trump has overseen a purge of top military personnel, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, general Charles “CQ” Brown, whom he fired without explanation in February 2025.
Other senior officers dismissed include the heads of the US Navy and Coast Guard, the general who headed the National Security Agency, the vice chief of staff of the Air Force, a Navy admiral assigned to NATO, and three top military lawyers.
The chief of staff of the Air Force also announced his retirement without explanation just two years into a four-year term, while the head of US Southern Command retired a year into his tenure.
Trump ally’s rapid rise and downfall
Phelan, a civilian who had not previously served in the military, was sworn in as Secretary of the Navy in March 2025 after being nominated by President Donald Trump in 2024. The businessman was a major donor to Trump’s campaign.
The two appeared alongside one another at Mar-a-Lago last December when Trump announced that the US would commission a new series of heavily armed Navy “battleships” named after himself – part of a revamped “Golden Fleet” which Phelan supported.
Andrew Peek, a former State Department deputy assistant secretary, told the news outlets that the president had been clear that he wanted to expand the country’s merchant and civilian fleet.
“Eventually, somebody was going to take the fall for the lack of movement on that. I would bet that’s about 30% of this,” Peek said.
“The other 70% – Phelan’s replacement is very well known to the MAGA base, I would bet it’s a simple replacement with someone he likes and trusts better,” he added.
Fears of politicization rise
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has insisted the president is simply choosing the leaders he wants, but Democratic lawmakers have raised concerns about the potential politicization of the traditionally neutral US military.
Last year, the Pentagon chief additionally ordered at least a 20 percent cut in the number of active-duty four-star generals and admirals in the US military, as well as a 10 percent cut in the overall number of general and flag officers.
Unprecedented military reshuffle sparks debate over leadership overhaul
Earlier this month, Army Chief of Staff Randy George and two other senior officers were dismissed, pushing the number of sudden high-level changes to an unprecedented level in recent history.
Defending the moves, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth described the shake-up as a routine exercise of presidential authority, saying the commander-in-chief is entitled to appoint leaders aligned with his strategic vision.
He also pointed to broader structural reforms announced last year, including a 20 percent reduction in four-star generals and admirals and a 10 percent cut across all general and flag officers — among the most significant downsizing measures affecting senior military ranks in decades.
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