Navy Fired Commanders Quietly After Submarine Collision and Destroyer Removal

The United States Navy has quietly fired the entire leadership team of a nuclear-powered attack submarine after an underwater collision — and relieved the commander of a guided-missile destroyer that spent almost a year enforcing the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz — without publicly announcing either move, drawing sharp pushback from Congress.

The Associated Press reported on Thursday, November 13, 2026, that the Navy fired commanders quietly, breaking with its long-standing practice of publicly announcing command removals. Two senior Democrats said the Navy failed to inform Congress that it had fired the submarine's leadership last month, and the service only confirmed the destroyer commander's removal after a news outlet asked about it.

Key Points

• The Navy fired the entire leadership team of the nuclear-powered attack submarine USS South Dakota last month after an underwater collision, and has opened an investigation.
• The Navy relieved Cmdr. Caitlin Cunningham, commander of the destroyer USS Michael Murphy, on September 27, 2026, citing a "loss of confidence" — and said nothing publicly until November 12.
• The Michael Murphy returned to Pearl Harbor on November 12 after a 346-day deployment supporting operations against Iran.
• Democratic Reps. Joe Courtney and Adam Smith said on November 12 that the Navy failed to inform Congress about the submarine firings.
• The Navy also gave no public announcement for the departure of Rear Adm. Brian Monahan as Congress's attending physician.

What Happened

The Associated Press reported on Thursday that the Navy has quietly removed several top officers in recent months, abandoning its usual practice of announcing those changes. The report drew an immediate response from Capitol Hill.

Reps. Joe Courtney and Adam Smith said on Thursday, November 12, that the Navy failed to inform Congress it had fired the entire leadership team of the USS South Dakota last month after the submarine was involved in an underwater collision. The lawmakers raised the matter in a letter, and the Navy has opened an investigation. The service has not said where or when the collision happened, or whether anyone was hurt.

Separately, the Navy relieved Cmdr. Caitlin Cunningham of command of the USS Michael Murphy on September 27, 2026, a defence official said, citing a "loss of confidence". Cunningham had taken command on October 24, 2025, less than a year earlier. The removal was never announced, and it only became public when a Navy spokesperson confirmed it to USNI News on November 12. The Michael Murphy returned to Pearl Harbor the same day after a 346-day deployment enforcing the American naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, launching Tomahawk strikes and completing 12 contested transits of the strait.

Background and Context

Relieving a commanding officer is one of the most serious steps the Navy can take, and for years the service has announced such removals publicly, usually with a short statement giving the reason — most often a loss of confidence. The announcements signal to the fleet that standards are enforced, and they give Congress and the public a record of who commands ships carrying powerful weapons.

The quiet removals fit a wider pattern of secrecy around military operations, especially in the Middle East. The war with Iran, launched in February 2026, is in its ninth month, and the administration has kept unusually tight control over information about operations in the region.

Navy Fired Commanders: What the Quiet Removals Signal

The question is not whether the Navy had the right to fire these officers — commanders serve at the pleasure of their superiors, and relief for loss of confidence is a routine, if serious, tool. The question is why the service stopped telling anyone.

For Congress, the issue is oversight: lawmakers authorise the Navy's budget and confirm its senior officers, and they cannot ask what went wrong — was anyone hurt, is the submarine safe, are other boats at risk — if they are not told. For the fleet, public announcements have long been part of how the Navy enforces standards; quiet removals keep the accountability but hide the lesson.

Reactions and Quotes

Reps. Courtney and Smith, who raised the submarine case in a letter to the service, said on November 12 that the Navy failed to inform Congress. Their complaint goes to the heart of the dispute: Congress cannot oversee what it is not told, and their intervention signals formal questions — and possibly a demand for a briefing — are likely to follow.

The Navy has confirmed the facts without offering much explanation. A defence official said Cunningham was relieved for a "loss of confidence", and a Navy spokesperson confirmed the removal to USNI News on November 12, after the news organisation asked. The Navy has also confirmed an investigation into the South Dakota collision is under way, but it has not said why the removals were not announced.

Why It Matters

A nuclear-powered submarine that collides with something underwater is a safety issue before it is a political one. Attack submarines operate in demanding conditions, and a collision serious enough to cost a whole leadership team its jobs deserves a public account of what happened and whether it could happen again.

The destroyer case shows how far the secrecy extends: the Michael Murphy was a front-line warship in an active war, and its commander was relieved mid-deployment, yet the Navy kept it quiet for six weeks. Some information about submarine operations must stay secret, but the fact that a submarine's leadership was fired after a collision is not a tactical secret.

What Happens Next

The investigation into the South Dakota collision is the immediate next step. Its findings will determine whether further action is taken and whether the Navy changes procedures, training or maintenance. Investigations of this kind typically take weeks or months, and the Navy has not said when it will report the results.

Congress is likely to press for answers in the meantime, with a formal briefing request or a hearing the normal next step if the Navy's answers are not forthcoming. The Michael Murphy will continue under Cmdr. David Nicolas after returning to Pearl Harbor. For background, read our report on Rear Adm. Brian Monahan's departure as Congress's attending physician and our coverage of oil prices rising after the reported US strike on Iran's Qeshm Island, where the Michael Murphy operated.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which submarine's leadership was fired? The entire leadership team of the nuclear-powered attack submarine USS South Dakota was fired last month after an underwater collision. The Navy has opened an investigation.

Who is Cmdr. Caitlin Cunningham? She commanded the guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Murphy. The Navy relieved her on September 27, 2026, citing a "loss of confidence". She had taken command on October 24, 2025.

Why is Congress unhappy with the Navy? Democratic Reps. Joe Courtney and Adam Smith said the Navy failed to inform Congress about the submarine firings, and the destroyer commander's removal was only confirmed after reporters asked about it.

What did the USS Michael Murphy do on its deployment? The destroyer spent 346 days at sea supporting operations against Iran, enforcing the Strait of Hormuz blockade and launching Tomahawk strikes.

Who commands the Michael Murphy now? Cmdr. David Nicolas is the ship's current commanding officer.