Navy Chief of Staff Jon Harrison was dismissed Friday by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, marking the latest senior removal in a Pentagon overhaul aligned with President Donald Trump’s defense agenda.
“He (Harrison) will no longer serve as Chief of Staff to the Secretary of the Navy,” the Pentagon said in a statement. “We are grateful for his service to the Department.”
The Pentagon did not name Harrison’s successor.
Harrison’s departure follows a series of leadership changes under Hegseth, who has removed multiple top officials, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and several service chiefs.
According to Politico, Harrison, a political appointee of President Trump, was dismissed after helping implement sweeping changes to the Navy’s policy and budgeting offices.
The reorganization, completed ahead of this week’s Senate confirmation of Navy Undersecretary Hung Cao, a former Republican Virginia Senate candidate, was aimed at limiting the influence of the high-profile Trump appointee, the outlet said.
According to Politico, Secretary of the Navy John Phelan and Harrison reassigned several aides who were expected to assist Cao in his role as undersecretary. The two also planned to interview Cao’s future military aides to “ensure decisions came from the secretary’s office.”
Before joining the Navy staff in January, Harrison chaired the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, focusing on energy and security issues in the region.
