A US Navy hovercraft speeds past the USS Wasp, a US Navy multipurpose amphibious assault ship, during amphibious landing exercises as part of the annual joint US-Philippines military exercise on the shores of San Antonio town, Zambales Province on Thursday. Photo: AFP

Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly resigned on Tuesday after he faced mounting backlash for firing and ridiculing the commander of a US aircraft carrier who pleaded for help stemming a coronavirus outbreak onboard.

Modly's resignation highlighted the US military's struggle to meet increasingly competing priorities: maintaining readiness for conflict and safeguarding servicemembers as the virus spreads globally.

The episode deepened upheaval in Navy leadership. The Navy's last secretary was fired in November over his handling of the case of a Navy SEAL convicted of battlefield misconduct. The Navy SEAL had won the support of President Donald Trump.

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper announced Modly's resignation on Twitter, saying the Navy's top civilian had "resigned of his own accord." Trump concurred, saying it was a selfless act and adding that he had nothing to do with it.

Modly's resignation occurred only after mounting pressure from Congress and a backlash from the crew, and followed Trump's own suggestion on Monday that he might get involved in the crisis - saying the Navy captain whom Modly fired was also a good man.

"I briefed President Trump after my conversation with Secretary Modly," Esper said, as he named an Army Undersecretary Jim McPherson to replace Modly as acting Navy secretary.

In a note to sailors, Modly said he took responsibility for events over the past few days.

"It is not just missiles that can take us down, words can do it too, if we aren't careful with how and when we use them," Modly said.

"It's my fault. I own it."

Captain Brett Crozier, whom Modly relieved of command last week, favored more dramatic steps to safeguard his sailors aboard the Theodore Roosevelt in a four-page letter that leaked to the public last week.

When Modly fired him over the leak, his crew hailed Crozier as a hero and gave him a rousing sendoff captured on video, apparently upsetting Modly and leading the Navy's top civilian to fly to Guam to castigate the captain in a speech to the crew on Monday.

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.

Trump appeared to take Modly's side, saying Crozier had erred with the letter.

Reuters