US Navy chief Thomas Modly resigns after firing captain who raised coronavirus alarm
- Move comes hours after he apologised for slamming commander who fought to save sailors from outbreak on board the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier
- Modly had called Captain Brett Crozier ‘too naive or too stupid’ to be in charge of aircraft carrier
US Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly resigned on Tuesday, bringing to a climax an extraordinary drama that he advanced by delivering a profanity-laced upbraiding of the officer he fired as captain of the coronavirus-stricken USS Theodore Roosevelt.
In announcing the resignation, Defence Secretary Mark Esper said Modly quit on his own accord, “putting the Navy and the sailors above self”, so the Navy and the Roosevelt can move forward. The Roosevelt is sidelined in port at Guam as members of the crew are tested for the coronavirus and moved ashore.
“His care for the sailors was genuine,” Esper said.
Esper said he briefed President Donald Trump on his conversation with Modly, and with the president’s approval he is appointing James McPherson as acting Navy secretary. McPherson, a Navy veteran, is currently serving as undersecretary of the Army. He was confirmed in that position by the Senate last month.
Esper called McPherson a “smart, capable and professional leader who will restore confidence and stability in the Navy during these challenging times.”