GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File / CHIP SOMODEVILLA
Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly sparked outrage after
he flew from Washington to Guam, where the warship is docked,
to defend his actions to the crew
US Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly resigned Tuesday over his mishandling of an outbreak of the coronavirus on the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier, Defense Secretary Mark Esper announced.
Modly stepped down five days after removing the Roosevelt's captain, Brett Crozier, for writing a letter -- that was leaked to the media -- describing the virus-struck vessel's dire situation and alleging the Pentagon was not paying adequate attention to it.
The removal of Crozier, respected in the military and popular with his crew, was seen as heavy-handed and decided too quickly, before an investigation was carried out.
Modly sparked outrage Monday after he flew from Washington to Guam, where the warship is docked, to defend his actions to the crew.
In a forceful, profanity-laced speech, he accused Crozier of "betrayal," called him "too naive or too stupid" and suggested the sailors' love for him was misplaced.
Hours later, back in Washington, Modly issued an apology, but President Donald Trump publicly questioned Crozier's treatment and said he would get directly involved.
Modly "resigned of his own accord, putting the Navy and the sailors above self so that the USS Theodore Roosevelt, and the Navy as an institution, can move forward," Esper said in a statement.
Esper said Modly's replacement as acting Navy secretary will be current Army Undersecretary Jim McPherson, a retired admiral.
- Ship captain's letter sparked 'panic' -
By Christen McCurdy UPI
Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas B. Modly, shown here
RELATED Sailors cheer USS Theodore Roosevelt captain who was relieved of command
The decision drew criticism from lawmakers, and videos that surfaced Friday -- showing hundreds of sailors chanting Crozier's name as he deboarded the carrier -- suggest Modly's call was not popular with sailors.
Modly was appointed in November following the resignation of Richard V. Spencer due to a conflict over the administration's handling of a Navy SEAL who was photographed with a dead prisoner of war.
US Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly resigned Tuesday over his mishandling of an outbreak of the coronavirus on the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier, Defense Secretary Mark Esper announced.
Modly stepped down five days after removing the Roosevelt's captain, Brett Crozier, for writing a letter -- that was leaked to the media -- describing the virus-struck vessel's dire situation and alleging the Pentagon was not paying adequate attention to it.
The removal of Crozier, respected in the military and popular with his crew, was seen as heavy-handed and decided too quickly, before an investigation was carried out.
Modly sparked outrage Monday after he flew from Washington to Guam, where the warship is docked, to defend his actions to the crew.
In a forceful, profanity-laced speech, he accused Crozier of "betrayal," called him "too naive or too stupid" and suggested the sailors' love for him was misplaced.
Hours later, back in Washington, Modly issued an apology, but President Donald Trump publicly questioned Crozier's treatment and said he would get directly involved.
Modly "resigned of his own accord, putting the Navy and the sailors above self so that the USS Theodore Roosevelt, and the Navy as an institution, can move forward," Esper said in a statement.
Esper said Modly's replacement as acting Navy secretary will be current Army Undersecretary Jim McPherson, a retired admiral.
- Ship captain's letter sparked 'panic' -
Navy Office of Information/AFP / Nicholas V. HUYNH
The USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier is in dock in Guam
after an outbreak of Covid-19
Modly was the second navy chief to depart in just over four months.
In November, Esper fired Navy secretary Richard Spencer after he pushed back against Trump's protection of Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher, who had been charged with war crimes and convicted of lesser charges.
Gallagher was demoted and was to lose his identity as a member of the elite SEAL corps until Trump stepped in, drawing accusations that he was undermining the authority of the military leadership by condoning Gallagher's behavior.
But that case, according to some analysts, put pressure on Trump to also give some support to Crozier, whose career was spotless.
The navy veteran had written a letter to his superiors in late March complaining of an uncontrolled COVID-19 outbreak among the Roosevelt's 4,800 crew, and called on the Pentagon to allow him to vacate the nuclear-powered ship and sterilize it.
"The spread of the disease is ongoing and accelerating," Crozier wrote. "We are not at war. Sailors do not need to die."
The letter was published by the San Francisco Chronicle, a leak Esper and Modly insinuated was deliberate and violated the Pentagon's chain of command.
Crozier "demonstrated extremely poor judgment in the middle of a crisis" in his handling of the letter, Modly said.
"It misrepresented the facts of what was going on the ship" and created "a little bit of panic" that was unnecessary, he said.
Still, the Roosevelt has been docked for 11 days in Guam so the crew, with well over 100 confirmed coronavirus cases, can be tested and the vessel cleaned.
Trump said Tuesday that he was not involved in Modly's departure, but said Crozier was wrong for writing the letter and that Modly "probably shouldn't have said quite what he said."
"I didn't speak to him but he did that, I think, just to end that problem," he said of Modly's resignation
Modly resigns after ripping sailors, ousted captain on open microphone
Modly was the second navy chief to depart in just over four months.
In November, Esper fired Navy secretary Richard Spencer after he pushed back against Trump's protection of Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher, who had been charged with war crimes and convicted of lesser charges.
Gallagher was demoted and was to lose his identity as a member of the elite SEAL corps until Trump stepped in, drawing accusations that he was undermining the authority of the military leadership by condoning Gallagher's behavior.
But that case, according to some analysts, put pressure on Trump to also give some support to Crozier, whose career was spotless.
The navy veteran had written a letter to his superiors in late March complaining of an uncontrolled COVID-19 outbreak among the Roosevelt's 4,800 crew, and called on the Pentagon to allow him to vacate the nuclear-powered ship and sterilize it.
"The spread of the disease is ongoing and accelerating," Crozier wrote. "We are not at war. Sailors do not need to die."
The letter was published by the San Francisco Chronicle, a leak Esper and Modly insinuated was deliberate and violated the Pentagon's chain of command.
Crozier "demonstrated extremely poor judgment in the middle of a crisis" in his handling of the letter, Modly said.
"It misrepresented the facts of what was going on the ship" and created "a little bit of panic" that was unnecessary, he said.
Still, the Roosevelt has been docked for 11 days in Guam so the crew, with well over 100 confirmed coronavirus cases, can be tested and the vessel cleaned.
Trump said Tuesday that he was not involved in Modly's departure, but said Crozier was wrong for writing the letter and that Modly "probably shouldn't have said quite what he said."
"I didn't speak to him but he did that, I think, just to end that problem," he said of Modly's resignation
Modly resigns after ripping sailors, ousted captain on open microphone
By Christen McCurdy UPI
Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas B. Modly, shown here
at the April 2 press briefing where he announced his decision
to remove Capt. Brett Crozier from his role, resigned on
Tuesday. Photo by Lisa Ferdinando/Department of Defense
April 7 (UPI) -- Defense secretary Mark Esper confirmed Tuesday that he had accepted the resignation of Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas B. Modly after Modly called the aircraft carrier captain he fired last week " stupid" in an address to the ship's crew, multiple sources reported Tuesday.
Esper's statement also confirmed that Army Undersecretary James McPherson has been appointed to replace Modly.
"Secretary Modly served the nation for many years," Esper wrote in a statement on Modly's resignation, which had already been reported by CNN, Politico and the Wall Street Journal. "I have the deepest respect for anyone who serves our country, and who places the greater good above all else. Secretary Modly did that today, and I wish him all the best."
Ranking Democrats on the House and Senate Armed Services Committees both released statements supporting Modly's resignation.
Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., wrote on Twitter that Modly "mishandled the situation" and that he supported Esper's decision to accept his resignation.
"Acting Secretary Modly submitting his formal resignation to Secretary Esper was the right thing to do," wrote Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., who had called for Modly's resignation Monday. "After mismanaging the COVID-19 outbreak on the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt, it became obvious that Acting Secretary Modly had forfeited his ability to lead the Navy. His actions had become a distraction at a time when we need the Navy to be focused on preserving the safety of our Sailors and maintaining the readiness of our fleet."
Modly's comments in the address were first reported by Task and Purpose, and he initially he said he "stood by every word," but later he apologized for the comments.
Modly announced Thursday that he had relieved Capt. Brett Crozier of his role as leader of the USS Theodore Roosevelt after Crozier wrote a letter pleading with the Navy for more resources to isolate sailors amid an outbreak of the novel coronavirus on the ship, which is docked in Guam to test personnel.
April 7 (UPI) -- Defense secretary Mark Esper confirmed Tuesday that he had accepted the resignation of Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas B. Modly after Modly called the aircraft carrier captain he fired last week " stupid" in an address to the ship's crew, multiple sources reported Tuesday.
Esper's statement also confirmed that Army Undersecretary James McPherson has been appointed to replace Modly.
"Secretary Modly served the nation for many years," Esper wrote in a statement on Modly's resignation, which had already been reported by CNN, Politico and the Wall Street Journal. "I have the deepest respect for anyone who serves our country, and who places the greater good above all else. Secretary Modly did that today, and I wish him all the best."
Ranking Democrats on the House and Senate Armed Services Committees both released statements supporting Modly's resignation.
Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., wrote on Twitter that Modly "mishandled the situation" and that he supported Esper's decision to accept his resignation.
"Acting Secretary Modly submitting his formal resignation to Secretary Esper was the right thing to do," wrote Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., who had called for Modly's resignation Monday. "After mismanaging the COVID-19 outbreak on the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt, it became obvious that Acting Secretary Modly had forfeited his ability to lead the Navy. His actions had become a distraction at a time when we need the Navy to be focused on preserving the safety of our Sailors and maintaining the readiness of our fleet."
Modly's comments in the address were first reported by Task and Purpose, and he initially he said he "stood by every word," but later he apologized for the comments.
Modly announced Thursday that he had relieved Capt. Brett Crozier of his role as leader of the USS Theodore Roosevelt after Crozier wrote a letter pleading with the Navy for more resources to isolate sailors amid an outbreak of the novel coronavirus on the ship, which is docked in Guam to test personnel.
RELATED Sailors cheer USS Theodore Roosevelt captain who was relieved of command
The decision drew criticism from lawmakers, and videos that surfaced Friday -- showing hundreds of sailors chanting Crozier's name as he deboarded the carrier -- suggest Modly's call was not popular with sailors.
Modly was appointed in November following the resignation of Richard V. Spencer due to a conflict over the administration's handling of a Navy SEAL who was photographed with a dead prisoner of war.
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