Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly resigned 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
Modly’s resignation highlighted the U.S. military’s struggle to meet increasingly competing priorities: maintaining readiness for conflict and safeguarding servicemembers as the virus spreads globally.
“The whole thing was … very unfortunate. The captain should not have written a letter. He didn’t have to be Ernest Hemingway. He made a mistake, but he had a bad day,” Trump said at the White House. 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
Modly questioned Crozier’s character, saying at one point he was either “stupid” or “naive.” After audio of his speech leaked, including expletives, Modly initially stood by his remarks. But later, at Esper’s request, he issued an apology.U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi added her voice to calls for Modly’s removal.
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