# High Stakes Pentagon Tension: Hegseth Fires U.S. Navy Chief During War and Port Blockade  4/23/26

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-mark-thompson-show-5748981/high-stakes-pentagon-tension-hegseth-fires-u-s-navy-chief-during-war-and-port-blockade-4-23-26
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-mark-thompson-show-5748981/high-stakes-pentagon-tension-hegseth-fires-u-s-navy-chief-during-war-and-port-blockade-4-23-26.md
Podcast: [The Mark Thompson Show](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-mark-thompson-show-5748981)
Published: 2026-04-23T20:54:09+00:00
Episode link: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/high-stakes-pentagon-tension-hegseth-fires-u-s-navy-chief-during-war-and-port-blockade-4-23-26--71596657
Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/71596657/pod_4_23.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-mark-thompson-show-5748981/episodes/high-stakes-pentagon-tension-hegseth-fires-u-s-navy-chief-during-war-and-port-blockade-4-23-26
Duration seconds: 7333

## Resource

With a naval port blockade in progress and Operation Epic Fury under way, Trump & Company are ditching the leader of the US Navy. Secretary of the Navy, John C. Phelan, a wealthy financier who has held the post for one year, is departing the administration, effective immediately. They gave no explanation, but Politico reports it has to do with a large battleship that caused in fighting at the Pentagon. In his place, Undersecretary Hung Cao, a one time MAGA candidate is now the acting secretary of the navy. Phelan joins General Randy George in unemployment and becomes the second top military official fired this month, despite the ongoing war with Iran. Lawsuits and appellate decisions are flying this week. We welcome former federal prosecutor, and now defense attorney, David Katz to make sense of it all. Redistricting is a hot button issue in the state of Florida. We will check in with Jasmine Burney-Clark. She is the founder of Equal Ground, a group working hard to level the playing field and make sure the voices of all voters are counted.

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## Transcript

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