Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao faces confirmation hearing next week
The Navy has quietly fired or removed several top officers in recent months while breaking with its usual practice of announcing those changes, a shift that has drawn pushback from Congress. Reps. Joe Courtney of Connecticut and Adam Smith of Washington, both Democrats, said Thursday that the Navy failed to inform Congress that it fired the entire leadership team of a nuclear-powered attack submarine last month after an underwater collision. Separately, the Navy in September fired the commander of a destroyer deployed to the Middle East, according to a defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe sensitive personnel matters.
Dr. Brian Monahan, a Navy rear admiral who serves as the attending physician for Congress and the Supreme Court, also departed his post during a Navy investigation, with no public announcement or confirmation. Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota, a Republican, and Sen. Alex Padilla of California, a Democrat, confirmed Monahan’s departure on Thursday but provided few other details. The Navy has opened an investigation, according to a person familiar with the situation who was not authorized to discuss the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity.
All three departures break from the Navy’s longstanding policy of announcing major removals of commanders and other highly visible officials. They also follow an increasing level of secrecy over military operations, especially in the Middle East.
The developments could set up a contentious confirmation hearing next week for acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao as he seeks to permanently take over as the service’s top civilian official.
In a letter to Navy leaders, Courtney and Smith wrote: “As a result of the Navy’s failure to communicate, what should have been a standard exercise in information sharing has instead raised questions about the Navy’s commitment to transparency and its commitment to a productive working relationship with Congress.”
The two lawmakers also wrote to Cao and to Adm. Daryl Caudle, the Navy’s top uniformed officer, saying they had “deep frustration” over the Navy’s failure to notify the House Armed Services Committee about the firing of the commander, second in command and top enlisted sailor of the USS South Dakota submarine. Their letter said the three were fired after the submarine ran into something on the seabed; the Navy would not offer public comment.
The Navy also on Sept. 27 relieved Cmdr. Caitlin Cunningham as commander of the USS Michael Murphy due to a loss of confidence, the defense official said. The destroyer has been deployed to support operations against Iran, the defense official said. Cunningham had been in the job less than a year. Typically, the firing of someone in her position would be announced by the Navy within days, but the service did not offer public comment even when asked about it.
For nearly 18 years, Monahan held the top job in the Office of the Attending Physician, which is responsible for providing emergency medical assistance to members of Congress and the Supreme Court as well as congressional staff and visitors. Monahan was sometimes in the news for discussing matters such as Sen. Mitch McConnell’s health and for administering a COVID-19 vaccine to then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Restrictions on the military sharing information go beyond the Navy. U.S. Central Command, which oversees operations in the Middle East, has released few details on recent limited strikes on Iran and has refused to comment on or specify damage to bases or equipment, usually citing the need for operational security.
Major satellite imagery providers with U.S. contracts have blocked or delayed public release of images in the region at the request of American officials. As a result, it took months to determine that Iranian drone and missile strikes damaged or destroyed structures on 26 military bases and other sites with U.S. equipment in the region, according to an Associated Press analysis.