President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on Thursday, "John C. Phelan has been a long-time friend and a very successful businessman, and he has achieved outstanding results as Secretary of the Navy over the past year. John has greatly helped my administration rebuild the Navy, which has been drastically weakened and almost neglected during the 'Sleepy Joe Biden' era. Thanks to John and all the wonderful men and women in uniform who participated with dedication and passion, we now have by far the strongest Navy in the world!"

He added, "John Phelan is a smart, strong, and respected figure by everyone. While he has decided to step down as Secretary of the Navy, I am truly grateful for what he has accomplished and hope to work with him again in a Trump administration someday. Thank you sincerely, John, for your dedication to America!"

This statement appears to be aimed at dispelling rumors of discord within the Department of Defense.

Earlier, Sean Parnell, Chief Spokesperson for the Department of Defense, stated on Wednesday, "Secretary Phelan is leaving the administration. This is effective immediately. On behalf of the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense, we thank Secretary Phelan for his service to the department and the U.S. Navy. We wish him well in his new endeavors."

Parnell announced that Under Secretary of the Navy Hong Kau (54) would serve as Acting Secretary. However, he did not provide specific reasons for the resignation.

Consequently, media outlets have described the departure as "sudden," raising suspicions about the background of his resignation amid an ongoing conflict, given that Secretary Phelan is a member of the defense leadership, even if not a "commander" directly leading the war in Iran on the ground.

Acting Secretary of the Navy Kau is a retired veteran who served in the Navy for over 20 years, including combat deployments. He fled Vietnam with his family in the 1970s and has also pursued a political career, unsuccessfully running for the U.S. Senate in 2024 with President Trump's endorsement.

By Sung Ku Hong, Editor-in-Chief of NNP, USA / Special Correspondent NNP info@newsandpost.com