John Phelan resigns from the position of Secretary of the U.S. Navy, and Hung Cao becomes the acting secretary. The reasons for the departure remain unclear.

In a message published on Wednesday, Sean Parnell announced the resignation of John Phelan from the position of Secretary of the Navy of the United States, thanking him for his services to the Department and wishing him success in future projects. Undersecretary Hung Cao will assume the role of acting secretary. The change in leadership of the Navy comes in the context of the American blockade of Iranian ports and coincides with the holding of the Maritime, Air, and Space Conference near Washington, which Phelan attended alongside allied military leaders. The reasons for Phelan's departure are unclear, and this is part of a broader trend of changes in military leadership initiated by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. John Phelan, a businessman without military experience, was a financial supporter of Donald Trump, who described him as a leader dedicated to the "America First" vision.