The U.S. Department of Defense Pentagon has announced that John Phelan has been removed from his position and has immediately stepped down from the government. In a statement, the Pentagon said that Deputy Secretary of the Navy, Hung Cao, will temporarily assume the duties of the position. Senior Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed the change but did not provide further details. Meanwhile, CNN, citing six informed sources, reported that the dismissal followed internal tensions between John Phelan and Pete Hegseth. According to the report, disagreements over reforms in the shipbuilding sector, as well as Phelan’s close ties to Donald Trump, were key factors behind the decision. The development comes as, according to some sources, the U.S. Navy has continued monitoring and restricting maritime routes during a ceasefire linked to the conflict with Iran.
