U.S. Navy Secretary John Phelan speaks about the U.S. Navy’s new Golden Fleet initiative, unveiling a new class of warships, at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, Dec. 22, 2025.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | AFP | Getty Images
Navy Secretary John Phelan is leaving the Trump administration “effective immediately,” a Pentagon spokesperson announced Wednesday.
“On behalf of the Secretary of the Army and the Deputy Secretary of the Army, I would like to thank Secretary Phelan for his service to the Department of the Army and the Navy,” Press Secretary Sean Parnell told X. “We wish him the best in his future endeavors.”
Undersecretary of the Navy Hung Kao will lead the military branch on his behalf, Parnell said.
Mr. Parnell did not provide an explanation for Mr. Phelan’s sudden departure as the U.S. Navy enforces a high-stakes blockade of Iranian ports near the Strait of Hormuz.
The critical oil shipping route is a major challenge in the U.S. and Israel’s war against Iran.
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