Navy Secretary John Phelan has abruptly resigned from his position, with Hung Cao stepping in as interim secretary.
Phelan's sudden departure comes just a day after addressing a large crowd of sailors and industry professionals at the annual Navy conference in Washington.
Although the US government has not disclosed the reason behind Phelan's departure, Reuters cited a source claiming he was fired.
Phelan's exit follows a recent pattern of high-ranking military officials being let go, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's firing of Gen. Randy George and two other generals.
Meanwhile, Hung Cao, a refugee from Vietnam, has been appointed as the interim Navy Secretary. Cao has an impressive military background, having served in Special Operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia.
He also has a Master's degree in physics from the Naval Postgraduate School and fellowships at MIT and Harvard.
Cao's appointment marks a significant shift in leadership at the Navy, with Phelan being a major donor to President Donald Trump's campaign and having no prior military experience.
