Hegseth ousts Navy chief of staff as Cao confirmed undersecretary

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday removed Jon Harrison as chief of staff to the secretary of the Navy, the Pentagon said, a sudden change that follows the Senate confirmation this week of Navy Undersecretary Hung Cao. In a brief statement, the Defense Department thanked Harrison for his service and said he will no longer serve as chief of staff. Harrison did not comment.

Harrison, who was appointed to the post in January, had been closely involved with Navy Secretary John Phelan in reshaping the service’s policy and budget offices, according to defense officials. Those officials said Harrison and Phelan had taken steps to reassign aides intended to help the incoming undersecretary acclimate and had planned to interview future military assistants to the undersecretary, moves described as efforts to centralize decisionmaking within the secretary’s office.

Cao, a retired naval officer and former Senate candidate, was confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday in a 52-45 vote to serve as the Navy’s second-ranking civilian official. The undersecretary typically has a key role in day-to-day management of the Navy and Marine Corps and in overseeing major budget and acquisition...