Trump Says Navy Secretary Phelan Exited Pentagon After Internal Conflicts Over Shipbuilding

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said undersecretary Hung Cao will become acting secretary following John Phelan’s departure.
Trump Says Navy Secretary Phelan Exited Pentagon After Internal Conflicts Over Shipbuilding
John Phelan at a Senate Armed Services confirmation hearing in Washington on Feb. 27, 2025. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
|Updated:
0:00

President Donald Trump said on April 23 that Secretary of the Navy John Phelan’s departure from his role resulted from “conflicts” he had with some officials over shipbuilding and ship procurement.

The Pentagon earlier said that Phelan would leave the administration effective immediately, but did not give a reason. Trump told reporters that Phelan is an “excellent guy” but he had not gotten along with some officials at the Department of War.