Acting U.S. Navy secretary resigns after ridiculing commander of coronavirus-hit ship

By Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart

 

FILE PHOTO: Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly, testifies to the Senate Armed Services Committee during a hearing examining military housing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., December 3, 2019. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly resigned on Tuesday after he faced mounting backlash for firing and ridiculing the commander of a U.S. aircraft carrier who pleaded for help stemming a coronavirus outbreak onboard.

 

U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper announced Modly's resignation on Twitter, saying the Navy's top civilian had "resigned of his own accord."

 

But the resignation occurred only after mounting pressure from Congress and a backlash from the crew, and followed President Donald Trump's suggestion on Monday that he might get involved in the crisis -- saying the Navy captain whom Modly fired was also a good man.

 

"I briefed President Trump after my conversation with Secretary Modly," Esper said, as he named an Army Undersecretary Jim McPherson to replace Modly as acting Navy secretary.

 

Modly's resignation follows a surprise speech he made on Monday to the crew of the Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier, which leaked publicly, in which he defended his decision to fire their commander, Captain Brett Crozier, and questioned his character, saying at one point he was either "stupid" or "naive."

 

Captain Brett Crozier, commanding officer of the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, addresses the crew during an all-hands call on the ship’s flight deck in the eastern Pacific Ocean December 19, 2019. Picture taken December 19, 2019. U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Nicholas Huynh/Handout via REUTERS

 

Crozier was revered by his crew for writing a four-page letter that leaked publicly calling for stronger action from the Navy to help stem an outbreak of coronavirus infections aboard his ship.

 

Earlier on Tuesday, U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi added her voice to calls for Modly's removal.

 

"Sadly, Acting Secretary Modly's actions and words demonstrate his failure to prioritize the force protection of our troops," Pelosi said in a statement.

 

A fellow Democrat, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith, had already called for Modly's removal.

 

Modly apologized on Monday for his remarks about Crozier, but Pelosi and Smith said that was not enough to overcome what they described as his highly inappropriate comments.

 

His apology did little to mollify the crew on the carrier.

 

"He said what he said and nobody is going to forget it," a sailor on the carrier told Reuters.

 

As of Tuesday, 230 of about 5,000 personnel on the Theodore Roosevelt have tested positive for the coronavirus.

 

(Reporting by Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart and Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-04-08

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So after finding out that public opinion supported the ousted Captain, Trump now says he's a good man. Pathetic.

"He shouldn't be talking that way': Trump rips ousted Navy captain"

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/04/trump-brett-crozier-letter-165020

A regime of big mouths,a miniscule amount of intelligence and even fewer boundaries.

Well, the man, and I use that term loosely was horrible the way he dressed down the Captain in that speech he made.  He himself did more to discredit the service and the DOD more than that ship's Captain could ever have been imagined to.  What a small man that probably would have been fragged by day two had he served in the field in Vietnam. 

Edited April 7, 20206 yr by gk10002000

Looking things up, the man was a Naval academy grad, helo pilot and did seven years of active duty.  Then went into business and offices.  Well he just blew his career and I shed no tears. 

Lack of judgment. Not qualified for high office.

 

Applies to quite a few people in the so-called American 'administration'.

Good.

What a stand up bunch of people you Americans have leading you! 
 

The secretary of the navy, in the middle of a pandemic, flies 8000 miles to chastise crewmen and women who are being hit by this virus... you couldn’t make this stuff up. 

Shows the level of care this administration has for its service people.

 

Looks like trump succeeded in draining the swamp....and replacing it with a open air festering sewerage pond. 
 

Edited April 8, 20206 yr by samran

But but trump only has the best people good riddance and let’s hope come November we get rid of the guy who sent him on that fools errand!

Another "acting" head gone (Navy this time). Anyone else notice how pervasive "acting" secretaries are in this administration? One reason they are "acting" is that true head would require approval by the senate. Though Republican senate seems to kowtow to Trump on nearly everything, they know important to have qualified people in key positions. Trump doesn't consider competence important.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/22/us/politics/trump-disloyalty-turnover.html

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Acting U.S. Navy secretary resigns after ridiculing commander of coronavirus-hit ship

First Law:

Only Trump may act like Trump. 

The guy leaked his letter to the Press so obviously a political act. All this 'save the Captain' is disingenuous liberal spin as usual. 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

and followed President Donald Trump's suggestion on Monday that he might get involved in the crisis -- saying the Navy captain whom Modly fired was also a good man.

First they all said that the captain did not act correctly by publishing his letter ( against the rules of the navy ) , and has to be fired .

That's what they did .

But for the public , the captain became some kind of hero for protecting his sailors .

Consequently , Trump made half of a U turn already , and will praise him soon for his courage ...?

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Modly apologized on Monday for his remarks about Crozier, but Pelosi and Smith said that was not enough to overcome what they described as his highly inappropriate comments.

 

Modly wanted to please his boss but was not diplomatic enough , now he's out .

Edited April 8, 20206 yr by nobodysfriend

10 minutes ago, BobBKK said:

The guy leaked his letter to the Press so obviously a political act. All this 'save the Captain' is disingenuous liberal spin as usual. 

No one made this guy fly 8000 miles to act like a clown in front of the crew. Or did some liberals kidnap him and make him do it? 

2 minutes ago, samran said:

No one made this guy fly 8000 miles to act like a clown in front of the crew. Or did some liberals kidnap him and make him do it? 

It wasn't the wisest decision I was talking about the liberal reaction in their MSM outlets.

22 minutes ago, BobBKK said:

The guy leaked his letter to the Press so obviously a political act. All this 'save the Captain' is disingenuous liberal spin as usual. 

There is no evidence that the Captain leaked to the press or even an allegation that he did so. He was relieved of his command because he sent the letter through unsecured means and did not follow the chain of command. Most likely, someone that the email was sent to, leaked it and rightly so. 

Just now, kamahele said:

There is no evidence that the Captain leaked to the press or even an allegation that he did so. He was relieved of his command because he sent the letter through unsecured means and did not follow the chain of command. Most likely, someone that the email was sent to, leaked it and rightly so. 

I read he copied it to the press but I can't remember where. Even if you are correct (and I doubt it) you admit he broke the chain of command. Normally his dismissal would raise no eyebrows and it does so for political reasons.

1 hour ago, BobBKK said:

The guy leaked his letter to the Press so obviously a political act. All this 'save the Captain' is disingenuous liberal spin as usual. 

There is no room for trolls like you in this time of the Coronavirus.

Please return to your Russian/Chinese/North Korean Troll Farm and stay out of the way while the rest of us are dealing with a global problem.

1 hour ago, BobBKK said:

The guy leaked his letter to the Press so obviously a political act. All this 'save the Captain' is disingenuous liberal spin as usual. 

Allegedly.

It's White House claim without any independent confirmation.

The basic charge against the Captain was that he released his letter outside his direct chain of command but still within the navy command community - any of whom (read about 20 people) could have leaked the letter to the press.

The Captain was not 'fired' for inappropriate comments. That excuse was later added by Trump.

 

1 hour ago, BobBKK said:

The guy leaked his letter to the Press so obviously a political act. All this 'save the Captain' is disingenuous liberal spin as usual. 

It must be getting harder and harder...

While the Captain circulated his email/letter, widely, there was no evidence that he, "obviously" leaked it to the press. Still, it could have been anticipated that would happen. On the other hand, the Acting Sec'y should have followed his own description of the Captain, as "naive and stupid," when the Acting Sec'y gave a speech, on deck, "naively and stupidly," not anticipating that it would be on social media, straightaway. 

Obviously few of us have the whole story.  I would suspect Captain Brozier initially did follow his Chain of Command but received little or even no response as to what was being or could be done.  With 5000 Navy personnel on his ship living in close quarters and many testing positive for the COVOD virus I can understand his desperation and why he may have jumped the Chain of Command.  It was a desperate move on his part but his concern for his people at the possible expense or his career shows what an honorable man and credit to the Navy that he is.   

An off topic post has been removed. 

 

Another turd in a penguin outfit..

9 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

Well, the man, and I use that term loosely was horrible the way he dressed down the Captain in that speech he made.  He himself did more to discredit the service and the DOD more than that ship's Captain could ever have been imagined to.  What a small man that probably would have been fragged by day two had he served in the field in Vietnam. 

NO SH*TT!!

"Battle of the USS Theodore Roosevelt: a Timeline"

Starting January 17

https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2020/04/timeline-battle-uss-theodore-roosevelt/164408/

I don’t understand why the captain sent out 30 letters to various people. There is a chain of command and procedures to follow if you’re not happy with what’s going on - so 30 letters seems odd.

Kudos for Captain Brett Crozier.  

8 hours ago, BobBKK said:

The guy leaked his letter to the Press so obviously a political act. All this 'save the Captain' is disingenuous liberal spin as usual. 

Yeah, past all the bSh*T, never mind he was looking out for his crew more than himself. How do you think you would be seeing this IF YOU were on his ship?

Captain Crozier will be remembered for the actions he took to save lives.  In 2017 4 Navy ships ran into merchant vessels and it was months or longer before Captains were removed.  In this Navy the Captain stays only if he endangers lives entrusted to his care.... 

 

Edited April 8, 20206 yr by dananderson
sp