All articles tagged with #phelan
Hung Cao, a retired Navy captain and former Virginia Senate candidate, was elevated from Navy undersecretary to acting Navy secretary after President Trump ousted John Phelan; Cao is focusing on shipbuilding priorities amid Iran-related naval activity, and his past stance against DEI policies, along with questions about a permanent nomination, shape how long he’ll lead the Navy.
Secretary of the Navy John Phelan was abruptly removed, with sources saying he departed “effective immediately” after friction over shipbuilding reforms and direct communication with Trump; Undersecretary Hung Cao will become Acting Secretary. The shakeup comes as the U.S. Navy continues a blockade of Iranian ports during a ceasefire, redirecting 29 vessels and boarding two ships, with officials not yet clarifying the reasons for Phelan’s departure.
Washington Post reporting shows John Phelan, Trump’s nominee for Navy secretary, appeared in Jeffrey Epstein’s flight logs as a passenger on Epstein’s Boeing 727 for two transatlantic trips in 2006. The review notes the records exist and are part of Epstein-related investigations, but there is no allegation of wrongdoing by Phelan.