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John C. Phelan resigns as Secretary of the Navy, effective immediately, with Hung Cao appointed as Acting Secretary. His departure comes during a pivotal Navy operation in the Strait of Hormuz and follows other high-level exits from the Pentagon.
FILE - Secretary of the Navy John Phelan listens as President Donald Trump speaks at his Mar-a-Lago club, Dec. 22, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, file)(AP)The US Department of War on Wednesday (local time) announced that Secretary of the Navy John C Phelan is stepping down with immediate effect, with Hung Cao set to take over as Acting Secretary of the Navy.
The development was confirmed by Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell, who thanked Phelan for his service and said the administration wishes him well in his future endeavours.
In a post on X, Parnell wrote, "Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan is departing the administration, effective immediately. On behalf of the Secretary of War and Deputy Secretary of War, we are grateful to Secretary Phelan for his service to the Department and the United States Navy."
"We wish him well in his future endeavors. Undersecretary Hung Cao will become Acting Secretary of the Navy," the post read.
John Phelan’s sudden exit comes at a time when the Navy is playing a central role in enforcing a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz—one of its largest missions in decades.
He is just the latest senior figure to leave the Pentagon since the Iran war began.
Earlier this month, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth asked Army Chief of Staff General Randy George to step down.
Trump had nominated Phelan, a businessman and campaign donor, ahead of his second inauguration. Phelan was also involved in steering a significant modernisation push across U.S. shipbuilders, as the administration aims to secure tens of billions of dollars in fresh funding to expand the Navy, according to a report by Bloomberg.
(This is a developing story…check back later for updates)
About the Author
Mausam Jha
Mausam Jha is a journalist who focuses on world affairs and politics. She provides clear, informative reporting with a good understanding of both global events and their local impact. <br><br> Her clear, accessible reporting on political and international issues makes her a trusted source of news and analysis. <br><br> For the past three years, Mausam has worked with Mint, covering national politics, IR—including elections—and global affairs.<br> Before joining her current role, she gained experience working with The Statesman, ANI, and Financial Express, where she honed her skills in political and international news. <br><br> She has consistently tracked key electoral battles, including US elections, Japan elections, policy debates, and strategic affairs, explaining how global currents, from great power competition to regional conflicts <br><br> Beyond journalism, Mausam has a deep engagement with international relations, diplomacy, war studies, terrorism, political history, and political theory. She is particularly interested in the intersection of statecraft and society on how governance, ideology, and institutions shape lived realities, and how politics shape today's world order. <br><br> An avid reader of classical literature and political thought, she constantly explores the connections between historical ideas and contemporary policy challenges.
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