The Pentagon announced on Wednesday that John Phelan is leaving his position with immediate effect, making him the latest top American defense official to face the wrath of the Trump administration. The news was relayed on Wednesday evening in a message posted on X by Pentagon spokesman and assistant secretary of defense Sean Parnell, who stated that the Department of Defense “wishes him good luck in his future endeavors”.
Phelan’s mission was primarily to deliver a new generation of warships desired by Donald Trump by 2028. However, according to several high-ranking officials from the Defense Department and the administration, speaking on condition of anonymity, Phelan struggled to present a credible plan to meet these almost unrealistic deadlines, leading to his dismissal.
Phelan’s departure comes at a time when the Navy is highly engaged. Three aircraft carriers are deployed in the Middle East or en route to the region, while the Trump administration asserts that all armed forces are ready to resume combat operations against Iran if the ceasefire expires.
This announcement follows a series of shakeups in the Pentagon’s top leadership, just a few weeks after the US Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, fired the highest-ranking uniformed officer in the Army, General Randy George. Hegseth has also dismissed several other generals, admirals, and defense officials since taking office last year.
The unexpected exit of John Phelan raised eyebrows, given his lack of military service or prior civilian leadership role within the Army. Despite this, Phelan had been a key donor to Donald Trump’s campaign and owned the private investment firm Rugger Management LLC.
Hung Cao, a former US Navy officer of Vietnamese origin, has replaced Phelan as the Navy’s undersecretary. Cao, a rising figure in the conservative camp known for his 25-year military career and staunch positions on national security and immigration, failed to unseat Democratic Senator Tim Kaine in Virginia’s 2024 Senate race.
Cao has been an advocate for reintegrating military personnel who had refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19 during the Biden era. Additionally, he has expressed concerns about US involvement in Ukraine, citing financial implications and the depletion of national strategic reserves.
The new Navy interim leader, Cao, had received support from Donald Trump during the heavily contested Republican primary and had spoken at the 2024 Republican National Convention. His stances against COVID-19 vaccination mandates for service members and diversity efforts in the military have drawn attention and controversy.
Sources: AP
