Navy Secretary John Phelan is departing the Trump administration, the Pentagon announced on April 22, making him one of the latest senior defense officials to leave his post. Undersecretary of the Navy Hung Cao is expected to assume the role in the interim, according to officials familiar with the transition.

Phelan, a financier and political donor, was confirmed as Navy Secretary earlier in the Trump administration. His departure adds to a pattern of turnover at the highest levels of the Defense Department, with several senior leaders having exited in recent months.

The timing of the announcement drew attention given ongoing tensions with Iran, with the U.S. Navy playing a central operational role in any potential military contingencies in the region. The Pentagon did not provide a detailed explanation for Phelan's exit or the specific circumstances surrounding it.

Hung Cao, a Vietnamese-American Navy veteran and former congressional candidate in Virginia, serves as the current Undersecretary of the Navy. His elevation to acting secretary would represent a notable rise in his profile within the administration's defense apparatus.

The departure is the latest in a series of leadership changes at the Pentagon under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has overseen significant personnel shifts since taking office. Officials have not publicly indicated whether Phelan resigned or was asked to leave.