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Long conflict with Hegseth preceded US Navy secretary’s resignation — WSJ

The dissatisfaction of Pete Hegseth and his first deputy Steve Feinberg rooted in Phelan's close relationship with President Donald Trump

NEW YORK, April 23. /TASS/. US Navy Secretary John Phelan's resignation was preceded for months by mounting tensions with Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, The Wall Street Journal quoted sources as saying

According to them, the dissatisfaction of Hegseth and his first deputy Steve Feinberg rooted in Phelan's close relationship with President Donald Trump - he regularly talked with the American leader at his private Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, and, as Phelan himself told lawmakers, he could discuss with Trump via correspondence shipbuilding in the middle of the night.

The Pentagon leadership was particularly annoyed, when last fall Phelan presented the idea of building a new warship directly to Trump, bypassing Hegseth, the newspaper notes.

Phelan, who is the founder and co-founder of several investment companies, was confirmed by the Senate as secretary of the Navy on March 25, 2025, after which he was sworn in. The secretary of the Navy is responsible, in particular, for the logistical support of the naval forces, as well as for the financial resources at their disposal. The US secretaries of the Air Force, Navy, and Army are not members of the presidential cabinet.

On Wednesday, chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said that Phelan was leaving his post with immediate effect.

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