Pentagon Fires Navy Secretary Phelan as Hormuz Blockade
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- John Phelan was dismissed as US Navy Secretary by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, effective immediately.
- Sean Parnell said the Pentagon thanked Phelan for his service and wished him well.
- Hung Cao stepped in as acting Navy Secretary, bringing 25 years of naval experience.
- Pentagon gave no official reason, but reports link the firing to internal disputes and an ethics investigation.
- US Navy continues to enforce a blockade on Iranian ports and the Strait of Hormuz, where 20% of world oil passes.
Why it matters: The Pentagon secures a leadership change that streamlines decision‑making, but the Navy loses Phelan’s experience just as 20% of global oil flows through the Hormuz Strait, delaying shipments and weakening U.S. leverage in the Iran conflict.
