Defense Secretary Hegseth Dismisses Navy Chief Jon Harrison Amid Reforms

Quantico, Virginia – Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired Navy Chief of Staff Jon Harrison, marking a significant shift within the Pentagon. The dismissal occurred shortly after the Senate confirmed Hung Cao as the new undersecretary of the Navy.

The Pentagon issued a statement confirming Harrison’s departure, expressing gratitude for his service. Harrison, known for his close ties to former President Donald Trump, was appointed to the post in January and had played a crucial role in guiding Navy policy and budgeting reforms.

Sources told Politico that Hegseth’s decision may stem from growing tensions between Harrison and Navy Secretary John Phelan regarding significant changes to the Navy’s internal structure. The two had reportedly reassigned aides intended to assist Cao, which might have influenced Hegseth’s choice.

Cao, a Navy veteran and former Republican Senate candidate from Virginia, was nominated by Trump. His role is seen as pivotal in reshaping Navy operations amidst ongoing reform efforts by Hegseth. Recent initiatives have aimed at altering the military’s inspector general processes and include a reevaluation of physical fitness standards.

Hegseth has faced scrutiny over his communications regarding military operations via the commercial messaging app Signal, amid ongoing investigations into potential breaches of protocol.

As the Pentagon experiences these high-level staff changes, Hegseth indicated that further leadership adjustments could be on the horizon. He reiterated the necessity of these changes to strengthen military readiness amid a complex threat landscape.