Navy Quietly Fired Top Commanders Without Telling Congress, Drawing Lawmakers’ Ire
The U.S. Navy has quietly fired or removed several top officers in recent months — and, in a break from longstanding practice, never announced the moves, leaving Congress to learn about them from news reports instead.
Two Democratic lawmakers said Thursday that the Navy failed to inform Congress that it fired the entire leadership team of a nuclear-powered attack submarine last month after an underwater collision. Separately, the service relieved the commander of a destroyer deployed to the Middle East in September, and a senior Navy doctor who cared for members of Congress departed his post during a Navy investigation — all without public announcements.
A submarine crew’s leadership, gone without a word
The letter from Reps. Joe Courtney of Connecticut and Adam Smith of Washington, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, laid out their complaint in blunt terms. They wrote to acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao and the Navy’s top uniformed officer, Adm. Daryl Caudle, that they had “deep frustration” over the Navy’s failure to notify the House Armed Services Committee about the firing of the commander, second in command and top enlisted sailor of the USS South Dakota.
According to the letter, the three were fired after the submarine ran into something on the seabed. The Navy would not offer public comment on the episode.
“As a result of the Navy’s failure to communicate, what should have been a standard exercise in information sharing has instead raised questions about the Navy’s commitment to transparency and its commitment to a productive working relationship with Congress,” Courtney and Smith wrote.
Destroyer commander relieved during Middle East deployment
The Navy also relieved Cmdr. Caitlin Cunningham, commander of the guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Murphy, on September 27, citing a “loss of confidence” in her ability to command. Rear Adm. Todd F. Cimicata, commander of Carrier Strike Group 10, made the decision, a Navy official told The Hill.
Cunningham had taken command of the ship on October 24, 2025 — less than a year before she was removed. The Michael Murphy, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer based at Pearl Harbor, departed Hawaii on December 1, 2025, as part of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group. It helped enforce the U.S. naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, operating in the north Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in support of military operations against Iran.
The ship stayed in the region even after the Lincoln strike group departed in August, and returned to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on November 12 after a 346-day deployment. Cmdr. David Nicolas, who took command about a month earlier, led the ship home.
Typically, the removal of a ship’s commanding officer would be announced by the Navy within days. In Cunningham’s case, the service offered no public comment even when asked, and the change only became public on November 12, when USNI News reported it after a Navy spokesperson confirmed the relief. The Navy has given no further details about the reasons, and no misconduct has been publicly alleged against Cunningham.
A third quiet departure: the doctor to Congress
A third case surfaced the same week. Rear Adm. Brian Monahan, the attending physician for Congress and the Supreme Court, departed his post during a Navy investigation — again with no public announcement or confirmation from the Navy.
Monahan had held the job for nearly 18 years. His office provides emergency medical care to members of Congress and the Supreme Court, as well as congressional staff and visitors. His departure was confirmed Thursday by Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota and Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla of California, who provided few other details. The Navy has opened an investigation, according to a person familiar with the situation who was not authorized to discuss it publicly.
Why this matters
All three cases break with the Navy’s longstanding policy of announcing major removals of commanders and other highly visible officials. They also come amid a broader increase in secrecy around military operations, especially in the Middle East.
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U.S. Central Command, which oversees operations in the region, has released few details about recent limited strikes on Iran and has declined to comment on damage to bases or equipment, usually citing operational security. Major satellite imagery providers with U.S. contracts have blocked or delayed the public release of images of the region at the request of American officials. As a result, it took months to determine that Iranian drone and missile strikes damaged or destroyed structures on 26 military bases and other sites with U.S. equipment in the region, according to an Associated Press analysis.
The developments could now shape a contentious confirmation hearing next week for Cao, the acting Navy secretary, as he seeks to take over the top civilian job permanently. Senators are expected to press him on the firings and on the Navy’s failure to notify Congress.
Latest developments
- The House Armed Services Committee received the Courtney-Smith letter on Thursday, November 12, demanding answers about the USS South Dakota firings.
- The USS Michael Murphy returned to Pearl Harbor on November 12, ending its 346-day deployment.
- Cao’s confirmation hearing is scheduled for next week, where the quiet removals are expected to feature prominently.
- The Navy has not publicly explained the reasons behind any of the three removals, and no further details have been released about the investigation involving Monahan.
The episode also fits a wider pattern of tension between the Pentagon and Congress over information. Lawmakers on both sides have increasingly complained that the military is sharing less about its operations and its personnel decisions — a friction point that the Navy’s silence has now brought into the open.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Cmdr. Caitlin Cunningham?
Cunningham commanded the guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Murphy from October 24, 2025, until she was relieved on September 27, 2026, for “loss of confidence.” The Navy has not publicly explained the specific reason, and no misconduct has been publicly alleged against her.
What happened aboard the USS South Dakota?
The Navy fired the submarine’s commander, second in command and top enlisted sailor last month after the nuclear-powered attack submarine ran into something on the seabed. The Navy has not commented publicly, and the two House lawmakers who raised the case said Congress was not notified.
Why is Congress angry with the Navy?
Lawmakers say the Navy broke with its longstanding practice of announcing major command removals and failed to inform the House Armed Services Committee, raising questions about transparency and about the service’s working relationship with Congress.
What happens next?
Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao faces a confirmation hearing next week, where senators are expected to question him about the quiet firings and the Navy’s failure to notify Congress.
The Navy’s silence has turned what might have been routine personnel actions into a test of its relationship with Congress — one that will play out in public at next week’s hearing.
Sources: Associated Press — https://thebullpost.press/navy-has-quietly-fired-some-commanders-and-other-officials-drawing-congressional-pushback/ ; The Hill — https://ameriledger.com/article/navy-removed-naval-destroyer-commander-deployed-to-middle-east ; USNI News — https://news.usni.org/2026/11/12/navy-quietly-removes-uss-michael-murphy-commander
