Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Politics
John T Bennett

Trump may intervene in fired Navy captain controversy and says writing letters 'shows weakness'

Donald Trump said he could step into an internal US Navy dispute about a fired aircraft carrier commander who was fired by the service's top civilian official for raising concerns about coronavirus spreading through his crew.

"I don't want to destroy somebody for having a bad day," the commander in chief said of Captain Brett Crozier.

Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly fired the commander of the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt after a letter he wrote about the virus infecting his crew leaked to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Mr Modly on Monday said the letters show Mr Crozier was too "stupid" to command such a massive war ship.

The president declined to comment on that, other than saying it was a "strong statement."

But he told reporters he is hearing "good things about both men," and might have little choice but to get involved.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.