too na\u00efve or too stupid<\/a>\u201d to think that his March 30 email to Navy senior leadership would not be leaked. Modly then went on to tell sailors that the media is not a resource for them and that they were not required to love their ship\u2019s captain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cWe have not had an opportunity to talk about the Navy secretary\u2019s remarks that were reported this morning,” senior Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman told reporters Monday, when asked whether Defense Secretary Mark Esper still has confidence in Modly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Modly\u2019s speech came after Roosevelt sailors sent Crozier off amid applause, cheering and chanting on Friday. In the recording, an exasperated sailor can be heard shouting an expletive after Modly\u2019s comments about Crozier\u2019s character.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd I can tell you one other thing: because he did that he put it in the public\u2019s forum … it is now a big controversy in Washington, D.C,\u201d Modly said, referencing Crozier\u2019s inclusion of personnel outside his chain of command on the unsecured email. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“If he didn\u2019t think, in my opinion, that this information wasn\u2019t going to get out to the public, in this day and information age that we live in, then he was either A, too na\u00efve or too stupid to be a commanding officer of a ship like this. The alternative is that he did this on purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even before the speech, lawmakers had called for Modly\u2019s firing or resignation. More joined that chorus on Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTR sailors are on the front lines of this pandemic and of our nation\u2019s defense in the Pacific,\u201d Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Virginia, said in a release. <\/b>\u201cActing Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly\u2019s remarks to the crew show that he is in no way fit to lead our Navy through this trying time. Secretary Esper should immediately fire him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hoffman told reporters Friday that at the time of Crozier\u2019s firing, Esper supported Modly in his decision to relieve him for loss of confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Monday, Hoffman assured reporters he would come back with an official response after discussing the matter with Esper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n