Navy Secretary John Phelan is leaving his role effective immediately, chief Pentagon spokesman Sean ParnellsaidWednesday.
A White House official told CBS News that President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth agreed on the need for new Navy leadership, and Hegseth informed Phelan of the decision before it was made public.
The Navy's new acting civilian leader will be Undersecretary of the Navy Hung Cao, according to Parnell. Cao is a Navy veteran who ran for Senate in 2024 as the GOP's nominee in Virginia, losing to Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine.
Phelan is the latest high-profile official to depart the federal government in recent months. Hegsethasked Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George to step downearlier this month, and the Army officers who led the Transportation and Training Command and the Chaplain Corps were removed from their roles. The head of the U.S. military's Southern Command, Navy Adm. Alvin Holsey, alsoretired at the end of last year.
Elsewhere in the administration, three Cabinet secretaries have left their posts since last month: Attorney GeneralPam Bondiwas fired, and Secretary of Homeland SecurityKristi Noemand Labor SecretaryLori Chavez-DeRemerhave left.
The Department of the Navy — which oversees naval forces and the Marine Corps — is losing its top civilian official while the Navy plays a key role in the war with Iran.
A temporary ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran has been in place for about two weeks, but the U.S. has continued enforcing a naval blockade on Iranian ports at Mr. Trump's direction. The president and other administration officials have also suggested that the Navycould offer escortsto oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz at some point.
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A financier who previously helped run billionaire Michael Dell's family investment office, Phelan wasconfirmed by the Senate62-30 in March 2025. Eleven Democrats voted with Republicans in favor of the Trump nominee.
During Phelan's time as secretary, the Navy took part in the U.S. military's strikes onalleged drug boatsnear Latin America andseizures of oil tankerslinked to Venezuela. And former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was flown to a U.S. aircraft carrier after American forcescaptured himearlier this year.
Phelan alsoplayed a rolein Mr. Trump's push to expand the Navy's fleet by building as many as 25 new battleships. Appearing alongside Hegseth and Mr. Trump at Mar-a-Lago last year, Phelan introduced what the military is referring to as "Trump-class" battleships.
Phelan made his most recent public appearance on Tuesday at the Sea Air Space Conference in the D.C. area.
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