Washington, October 5, 2025 (Agencies): U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has abruptly dismissed Navy Chief of Staff Jon Harrison, marking the latest in a series of high-level shakeups within the Pentagon. The move comes shortly after the confirmation of Hung Cao as the new Under Secretary of the Navy.
“Jon Harrison will no longer serve as the Chief of Staff of the Secretary of the Navy. We are grateful for his service to the Department,” a Pentagon spokesperson said in a statement to Military Times on Saturday. Harrison, a political appointee of President Donald Trump, has not issued a public comment on his ouster.
Harrison had worked closely with Navy Secretary John Phelan to streamline the Navy’s policy and budgeting offices amid widespread program delays. However, officials said tensions arose between Harrison and Cao, with Harrison allegedly attempting to curb the undersecretary’s authority and reassign aides designated to support Cao.
Cao, a Navy veteran and staunch Trump ally, recently stepped into the undersecretary role after previous bids for Congress in Virginia. His appointment is seen as part of the administration’s broader effort to tighten political control over senior defense positions.
Hegseth’s decision to fire Harrison follows a series of dismissals of senior officials this year, including senior advisor Dan Caldwell, deputy chief of staff Darin Selnick, and Colin Carroll, chief of staff to the deputy secretary of defense. He has also removed several top military leaders, including former Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. CQ Brown, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, and Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan.
Harrison took over as chief of staff in January, having previously served as chairman of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission during Trump’s first term. His dismissal also comes against the backdrop of Trump’s renewed focus on revitalizing America’s shipbuilding sector. In March, Trump announced the creation of a new White House shipbuilding office, though it was later moved to the Office of Management and Budget following the removal of shipbuilding advocate Mike Waltz from the National Security Council in the wake of the “Signalgate” scandal.
The Signalgate episode erupted after Waltz created a group chat on the encrypted Signal app to discuss an impending U.S. strike against Houthi rebels in Yemen. Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg was mistakenly added to the chat, and Hegseth reportedly shared sensitive details from a classified email. The Pentagon Inspector General is still investigating the incident.
Harrison’s removal underscores Hegseth’s assertive approach to reshaping defense leadership, consolidating political influence, and redefining the Navy’s chain of command during a period of internal restructuring and geopolitical pressure.