Breaking: The U.S. Pentagon announced that Navy Secretary John Phelan has been immediately dismissed, just one year after taking office.
Recently, several top officials from the Trump team have resigned or been fired, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Deputy Secretary Hung Cao, the second-highest-ranking civilian official, will temporarily assume Phelan’s position.
Phelan was one of the prominent business figures handpicked by Trump for a key role at the Pentagon. He was selected to serve as Navy Secretary, but joined a department already plagued by shipbuilding and maintenance issues—and was tasked with overhauling the entire shipbuilding process.
He led the canceled "Constellation"-class frigate project and announced a new battleship-level fleet named the “Golden Fleet,” in honor of Trump.
Insiders reveal that Phelan struggled significantly in pushing forward increased shipbuilding numbers—a priority task for Trump.
Phelan’s dismissal comes just one week before Defense Secretary Hegseth’s confirmation hearing, during which he will face intense scrutiny over the Pentagon’s proposed $1.5 trillion budget. The budget would substantially increase funding for critical naval programs, including Trump’s “Golden Fleet” initiative. There are also undisclosed reasons behind his removal.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1863215913793544/
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