Navy Secretary John Phelan was on Capitol Hill talking shipbuilding all day. Hours later, he learned he was fired by reading it on X

Navy Secretary John Phelan was fired by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, just hours after spending most of the day on Capitol Hill discussing shipbuilding with lawmakers. The Pentagon announced his departure in a statement posted on X by top spokesman Sean Parnell, saying it was “effective immediately,” with no further explanation given. The sudden announcement left many inside and outside the Pentagon stunned.

Phelan had no idea he was about to be let go. He only found out about his own firing when he saw the post on X. The abrupt dismissal sent shockwaves across the Pentagon, with lawmakers and officials raising concerns about the growing instability within the Department of Defense under President Trump and Secretary Hegseth, according to NBC News.

Multiple officials and people familiar with the matter said the main reason behind the firing was Phelan’s disagreements with Hegseth and Pentagon No. 2 Stephen Feinberg over shipbuilding, a top priority for President Trump. Phelan and Hegseth had also clashed over the Golden Fleet, Trump’s flagship naval initiative, as well as disputes over the deployment of ships around the world and broader management differences within the department.

Phelan’s firing adds to a pattern of abrupt leadership shake-ups at the Pentagon under Hegseth

Phelan’s departure comes as the US military is enforcing a naval blockade on Iran, which has been a major point of tension between the two countries. The American military has seized two ships in the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has called a violation of the ceasefire between the two countries.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the blockade, saying the seized ships were “international vessels” and that the blockade has been “massively effective.” Phelan’s firing is the latest in a series of removals of senior officials by Hegseth. Just weeks ago, Hegseth dismissed the Army’s top officer, Gen. Randy George, without giving a reason. 

Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, responded to Phelan’s dismissal, saying, “Secretary Phelan’s abrupt dismissal is troubling. I am concerned it is yet another example of the instability and dysfunction that have come to define the Department of Defense under President Trump and Secretary Hegseth.”

During his time as Navy Secretary, Phelan had championed the Golden Fleet, a major investment in new vessels. This included Trump’s newly announced class of Navy warships, which broke with long-standing military tradition. However, his tenure was marked by ongoing disputes with Hegseth and Feinberg over management style, personnel matters, and the overall direction of the Navy.

The blockade on Iran is part of Trump’s effort to pressure Tehran into negotiating an end to the conflict and reopening the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping. The consequences of the war are already being felt across the US economy, with gasoline prices now climbing above $4 a gallon.

Phelan had been closely involved in overseeing the naval assets enforcing this blockade, making his sudden removal all the more significant at this critical moment. Undersecretary Hung Cao will take over as acting Navy Secretary on an interim basis following Phelan’s departure. 

Cao will inherit a department dealing with active naval operations in a volatile region, ongoing shipbuilding debates, and significant internal tensions. Those interested in the broader naval ambitions behind these disputes can read more about the Trump-class battleship breaking military tradition. How this leadership change will affect the Navy’s ongoing operations in the region remains to be seen.