US Navy Secretary John Phelan has been dismissed from his position, according to sources familiar with the matter, amid a broader shakeup at the Pentagon. His firing follows a series of changes in military leadership under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who had previously removed the Army’s top general just weeks earlier. The Pentagon announced Phelan’s departure in a brief statement, noting that he was leaving “effective immediately,” but did not provide specific reasons for the decision.
Sources close to the situation indicated that Phelan’s slow pace in implementing reforms to speed up shipbuilding was a significant factor in his dismissal. Additionally, reports mentioned that Phelan had strained relationships with Hegseth, Steve Feinberg, and Hung Cao, the number two civilian official in the Navy, who will now step in as acting Navy secretary.
Another factor contributing to Phelan’s firing was an ethics investigation involving his office. As a billionaire with close ties to President Donald Trump, Phelan is the first service secretary appointed by Trump to be fired since he returned to office last year.
Phelan’s departure comes amid significant changes within the Pentagon’s leadership, which include the firing of key officials such as Air Force General CQ Brown, the chief of naval operations, and the Air Force vice chief of staff. Hegseth has also made waves by removing Army Chief of Staff Randy George without offering a clear explanation.
The dismissal of Phelan is seen as part of ongoing turbulence at the Pentagon, with some critics, like Senator Jack Reed, expressing concern over the lack of stability and dysfunction in the Defense Department under Trump and Hegseth’s leadership.
This shakeup occurs while the US Navy continues its naval blockade of Iran, a central aspect of the broader geopolitical tensions in the region. As part of the ongoing pressure on Tehran, the US military has been increasing its naval presence in the Middle East, using the Navy’s assets to enforce a blockade, which President Trump hopes will force Iran into negotiations on favorable terms. Phelan’s firing also comes at a time when the Navy is under significant pressure to expand its fleet to counterbalance China’s growing shipbuilding capacity.
President Trump’s $1.5 trillion defense budget for fiscal year 2027 includes more than $65 billion for the procurement of warships and support vessels, as part of the Golden Fleet initiative aimed at revitalizing US naval strength. The project is part of the Pentagon’s largest shipbuilding request since 1962, highlighting the urgency of modernizing and expanding the US Navy’s capabilities.
