In the midst of the Iran crisis and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, US Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan has been dismissed. The billionaire had supported Trump’s 2024 election campaign with large donations.
As Sean Parnell, Pentagon press spokesman, announced on X, Phelan will leave the government “with immediate effect”. He was wished all the best, but no reason was given for his dismissal. Until further notice, the post of Secretary of the Navy will be temporarily taken over by his former deputy Hung Cao.
Phelan’s dismissal comes at a critical moment: the ongoing crisis in Iran, and in particular the closure of the Strait of Hormuz to ships with ports of call in Iran, means that the US Navy is currently under particular pressure. At the same time, Phelan is not the first high-ranking commander to resign in recent weeks. Previously, Army Chief of Staff Randy George and two generals were also dismissed by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
The Secretary of the Navy primarily has an administrative role in the US government. Phelan himself has never served in the Navy or the US military, yet Trump nominated him as his preferred candidate for the post. Billionaire Phelan, who is said to have a good relationship with the president, supported his 2024 election campaign with enormous sums of money.
As mentioned at the beginning, there is no official information about the reasons for Phelan’s dismissal. However, according to BBC reports from insider circles, it is said that he did not push Trump’s “Golden Fleet” plan fast enough. He is also said to have fallen out with Defense Minister Hegseth and other officials.
His acting successor Cao has been his deputy since October 2025. Unlike Phelan, Cao is a Navy veteran with 25 years of experience and also a familiar face in Trump’s “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) scene.
