Pete Hegseth, the US defense secretary, abruptly fired the navy chief of staff on Friday, removing an aide who had been key to the Trump administration’s efforts to reshape the Pentagon.
Jon Harrison, who was appointed in January, had been key to broad changes made to the navy’s policy and budgeting offices. Together with John Phelan, a Trump mega-donor confirmed as navy secretary in March, Harrison had reportedly sought to limit the influence of the navy undersecretary, who typically has a key role in managing that military branch’s budget.
The Pentagon confirmed Harrison’s departure in a statement to Politico, which first reported it. “He will no longer serve as Chief of Staff to the Secretary of the Navy,” it said. “We are grateful for his service to the Department.”
Harrison’s firing comes days after Hung Cao, a former naval officer who ran for Senate as a Republican last year, was confirmed as navy undersecretary. Politico previously reported that Harrison and Phelan had reassigned several top aides who were supposed to help Cao adjust to his role, a move intended to reduce the influence of the undersecretary’s role.
Harrison’s departure follows months of upheaval under Hegseth. In May, he ordered the military to cut 20% of its four-star generals and admirals, while Hegseth and Trump have fired more than half a dozen top generals since January, including the only two women serving as four-star officers. In February, Hegseth also fired air force general CQ Brown Jr, the chair of the joint chiefs of staff and the second Black man to serve in that role.
In an unusual speech to top military officials this week, Hegseth railed against diversity and inclusion guidelines and claimed the defense department had previously become “the woke department”. Many veterans reacted furiously to the address by Hegseth, who before being appointed as defense secretary was a host on Fox News.
