Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly has resigned as the fallout continues from his comments regarding the USS Theodore Roosevelt’s former commander.
Modly submitted a letter of resignation to Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Tuesday, according to an official who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The official says Modly has also told staff he is quitting.
News of Modly’s offer to resign came shortly after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for his removal.
James McPherson, Acting Undersecretary of the Army, has reportedly been tapped to replace Modly.
On Monday, Modly called Capt. Brett E. Crozier “naive” or “stupid” in a broadcast to Crozier’s former crew. The remarks came hours after reports Crozier, who’d been removed from his command, tested positive for COVID-19.
Crozier was removed after making a public plea for help on the coronavirus-stricken aircraft carrier.
On Monday night, Modly reportedly apologized in a statement, according to reporter Sam LaGrone.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper reportedly told Modly to apologize for his remarks about Crozier, according to reporter Ryan Browne.
»COMPLETE COVERAGE: CORONAVIRUS
Modly, whose comments have been reported by several media outlets, including CNN, told the crew Crozier was either "too naive or too stupid" to be in command. He said Crozier may have intentionally leaked to the media a memo in which he warned about the virus spreading aboard his ship.
"It was a betrayal. And I can tell you one other thing: because he did that he put it in the public's forum and it is now a big controversy in Washington, D.C.," Modly said, according to a transcript of remarks Modly reportedly made to the crew, according to Fox News.
Crozier is among more than 100 sailors from the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt who’ve tested positive for the viral infection behind the global pandemic.
The commander reportedly began exhibiting symptoms before he was removed from the warship Thursday at a U.S. naval base on Guam. A Navy spokesman declined to comment on Crozier’s COVID status.
Crozier was fired after a leak to The San Francisco Chronicle of a letter he had emailed to Navy leaders that detailed the failures on the service’s account to ensure that his sailors and the carrier were quickly and properly disinfected as the virus spread through the ship.
»MORE: Navy fires captain who wrote letter pleading for help with outbreak
The nearly 1,100-foot-long Nimitz-class carrier is now docked at the mouth of Apra Harbor on Guam, a Pacific U.S. island territory.
Esper said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” that there were 155 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among sailors aboard the aircraft carrier, and that more than half of the ship had been tested. So far, there have been no hospitalizations.
“There is an investigation ongoing,” Esper said. “All the services at times relieve commanders without the benefit of an investigation up front because they’ve lost confidence in them. It’s certainly not unique to the Navy.”
Last week, Modly said Crozier was relieved of his duties because he “demonstrated extremely poor judgment” by sending the urgent-but-unclassified memo to his superiors that was later leaked to the Chronicle.
Modly also took sole responsibility for the decision to fire Crozier and emphasized that he was not under any pressure from the White House.
“I did not come to this decision lightly,” Modly added. “I have no doubt in my mind that Captain Crozier did what he thought was in the best interests of the safety and well-being of his crew.”
Crozier wrote a four-page letter to his superiors in Washington about the dire situation unfolding aboard the Roosevelt. In the communication, Crozier criticized Navy leadership for failing to provide the proper resources to combat an outbreak. “We are not at war,” Crozier wrote.
“Sailors do not need to die. If we do not act now, we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset — our sailors.”
Several senior military officials, including the chief of naval operations, Adm. Mike Gilday, recommended against Modly’s decision to fire Crozier before an investigation into the matter was complete and in the midst of an evacuation.
Crozier’s popularity with the ship’s crew was on display in videos showing sailors giving him a warm and loud send-off, clapping and chanting his name as he left the ship for the final time. Modly acknowledged Crozier’s popularity with the crew in his remarks to the sailors. “I cannot control or attempt to change whatever anger you have with me for relieving your beloved CO,” Modly said, using the slang for commanding officer. “I understand you may be angry with me for the rest of your lives.”
Stephanie Toone of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution contributed to this report.
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