The Pentagon announced on Wednesday that Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan is departing the administration, “effective immediately.” “On behalf of the Secretary of War and Deputy Secretary of War, we are grateful to Secretary Phelan for his service to the Department and the United States Navy. We wish him well in his future endeavors. Undersecretary Hung Cao will become Acting Secretary of the Navy,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell stated. STATEMENT: Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan is departing the administration, effective immediately. On behalf of the Secretary of War and Deputy Secretary of War, we are grateful to Secretary Phelan for his service to the Department and the United States Navy. We wish… — Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellASW) April 22, 2026 CNN has more: The announcement was particularly shocking for its timing, with the Navy playing a critical role in stopping Iranian ships from traversing the Strait of Hormuz. Thus far, US forces have redirected 31 vessels to return to port and have also boarded two ships. Multiple sources told CNN there was tension for months between Phelan and Hegseth, who believed Phelan was moving too slowly on implementing shipbuilding reforms and was also irked by Phelan’s direct communication with Trump, which Hegseth viewed as an attempt to bypass him. Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg also wanted to take control of major responsibilities for shipbuilding and navy acquisitions, a job that would typically be within Phelan’s purview. It was during a meeting between Trump and Hegseth on shipbuilding at the White House Wednesday that the issues came to a head, according to a senior White House official. Trump, frustrated by slow shipbuilding progress himself, became convinced during the meeting that Phelan needed to be replaced, and he and his defense secretary resolved to install someone who would move more quickly, the official said. Trump told Hegseth to “take care of it,” because Phelan is subordinate to the defense secretary. Hegseth sent a message to Phelan informing him he needed to resign or be fired, the official said. The official said Phelan, though, did not appear to believe Trump was aware of the message, and he soon began phoning other White House officials asking if they had heard he had been told to resign and whether they knew if the president was aware of it. It was around then that Parnell issued the statement, the official said. “Phelan didn’t understand he wasn’t the boss. His job is to follow orders given, not follow the orders he thinks should be given,” one individual told Axios. The same individual told the outlet that Phelan and Hegseth did not “get along.” Axios on Secretary of Navy departure: "'Phelan didn't understand he wasn't the boss. His job is to follow orders given not follow the orders he thinks should be given,' a person familiar with the situation told Axios.'He didn't get along' with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth,… — Steve Lookner (@lookner) April 22, 2026 Axios noted: Phelan sat down with a dozen reporters Tuesday afternoon to discuss the future of the Navy and its major investments, including the Golden Fleet and its battleship and frigate. “We’re going to really need to improve our ability to build ships,” he said at the time. Phelan, a longtime financier, was confirmed by the Senate about a year ago.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) issued a warning to Florida Republicans as the redistricting battle heats up before the 2026 midterm elections. “Our message to Florida Republicans is F around and find out. If they go down the road of a DeSantis ‘dummymander’, the Florida Republicans are going to find themselves in the same situation as Texas Republicans,” Jeffries said. “The Republicans are ‘dummymandering’ their way into the minority before a single vote is cast because they started this war and we’re going to finish it,” he added. Watch below: .@RepJeffries "Our message to Florida Republicans is F around and find out. If they go down the road of a DeSantis 'dummymander', the Florida Republicans are going to find themselves in the same situation as Texas Republicans." pic.twitter.com/3zFoRXRLvD — CSPAN (@cspan) April 22, 2026 The New York Democrat’s comments follow Virginia voters approving a mid-decade redistricting referendum that would allow Democrats to redraw the state’s congressional map before the 2026 midterm elections. Results Are In For Critical Virginia Redistricting Referendum However, a Virginia judge ruled the referendum unconstitutional and blocked the state from certifying the results. “RIGGED ELECTION” – President Trump Comments On Virginia Redistricting Referendum, Judge Rules Proposed Amendment Unconstitutional The Hill shared further: Jeffries pointed to three separate local elections in Florida that were recently won by Democrats in areas that are traditional GOP strongholds: The Miami mayor’s race, which was won by a Democrat for the first time since 1997; a state Senate seat in the Tampa Bay area; and a state House seat for the district that’s home to Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s resort and residence. “The electoral tide is turning in Florida,” he said. The Democratic leader also noted that, given those recent results, some GOP members of Florida’s House delegation have questioned the wisdom of redrawing the current map, which carries the risk of diluting the Republican advantage in some districts that are now strongholds. “We agree,” Jeffries said. “But go ahead and make our day.” DeSantis did not seem phased by Jeffries' remarks. "Please, be my guest. I will pay for you to come down to Florida and campaign. I'll put you up in the Florida governor's mansion. We'll take you fishing," DeSantis said. "There's nothing that could be better for Republicans in Florida than to see Hakeem Jeffries everywhere around this state," he continued. Watch below:

An envoy to President Trump reportedly asked FIFA to replace Iran with Italy in the 2026 World Cup, which is being hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. According to reports, the idea is an attempt to repair the relationship between Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. BREAKING: The Trump Administration has asked FIFA to replace Iran with Italy in the upcoming World Cup amid the Iran War. Trump's envoy argued that Italy’s four World Cup titles in the history of the tournament justify awarding it the slot. The plan is reportedly an effort to… — The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) April 22, 2026 Fox News shared further: United States special envoy Paolo Zampolli suggested the idea to FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “I confirm I have suggested to Trump and Infantino that Italy replace Iran at the World Cup. I’m an Italian native, and it would be a dream to see the Azzurri at a U.S.-hosted tournament,” Zampolli told the outlet. “With four titles, they have the pedigree to justify inclusion.” The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Fox News Digital. Italy had a chance to be in the World Cup already, but it lost in a penalty shootout to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a qualifying playoff final. It has remained unclear if Iran would participate in the World Cup after the war against the United States and Israel began. Iran qualified for the competition in March 2025 and was drawn into Group G, alongside Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand. A top envoy to Donald Trump suggested the swap to Fifa president Gianni Infantino and the US president, as leader of the country co-hosting the tournament, arguing that Italy’s four World Cup titles in the tournament's history justify awarding it the slot. https://t.co/yWT7LQrbNG pic.twitter.com/Dcj8ohrOfs — Financial Times (@FT) April 22, 2026 More from The Guardian: The FT reported that Iran issued a statement on Wednesday saying it was prepared for the tournament and planned to participate. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. Iran had said earlier in April it would only decide on the national team’s participation in the World Cup once it received a response from Fifa over the relocation of their matches from the US to Mexico.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating two separate incidents where commercial aircraft had to take evasive action to avoid mid-air collisions. One incident involved two Southwest Airlines jets just north of Nashville International Airport. “The crew of Southwest Airlines Flight 507 initiated a go-around at Nashville International Airport and then received instructions from air traffic control that put the flight in the path of another airplane that was departing from a parallel runway. Both flight crews responded to onboard alerts. The FAA is investigating the event that occurred around 5:30 p.m. local time on Saturday, April 18,” the FAA said in a statement, according to NewsChannel 5 Nashville. The planes reportedly came within 500 feet of each other. 2 Southwest planes came within 500 feet in close call near Nashville airport https://t.co/wBfF7vzXft — CBS News (@CBSNews) April 21, 2026 CBS Evening News provided video coverage: Gusty winds near Nashville International Airport prompted two Southwest Airlines jets to take evasive action to avoid a potential midair collision. @KrisVanCleave has the details. pic.twitter.com/ALe3ZN3uK2 — CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil (@CBSEveningNews) April 20, 2026 NewsChannel 5 Nashville shared further: A review of air traffic data and ATC recordings indicates that a controller inadvertently turned a Southwest Boeing 737 Max 8 into the path of a Southwest Boeing 737-700 that was taking off from the airport. Pilots in both aircraft indicated that they took evasive action in response to Resolution Alerts (RAs) from their on-board collision avoidance systems. The Max 8 aircraft, Southwest Flight 507, was heading from Myrtle Beach to Nashville and had been cleared to land on Runway 2 Left. For unknown reasons, the data suggests the flight crew decided to execute a “go-around” instead of landing. At the same time, the 737-700, Southwest Flight 1152, was taking off for Knoxville from Runway 2 Right, just to the east of the other aircraft. Seconds later, the air traffic controller directed Flight 507 to turn right, putting it into a potential conflict with Flight 1152. Apparently realizing his mistake, the controller suddenly ordered Flight 507 to climb from 2,000 feet in altitude to 3,000 feet, while directing Flight 1152 to hold at 2,000 feet. “We’re already past it,” Flight 1152 responded. The controller answered, ” He’s already in the turn. Flight 507, descend and maintain 2,000.” “Down to 2,000,” Flight 507 quickly shot back. Meanwhile, two commercial jets came too close to each other while approaching New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. The planes were forced to abort landings. Watch below: Two passenger planes were forced to abort landings at New York’s JFK Airport after coming dangerously close mid-air on Monday, April 20. The FAA is now investigating. pic.twitter.com/T1OTgXIshk — CBS News (@CBSNews) April 22, 2026 Fox News has more: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the crew of Republic Airways Flight 4464 performed a go-around after missing its intended approach path and flying too close to Air Canada Express Flight 8554, which had been cleared to land on a parallel runway. Both flight crews responded to onboard alerts during the incident, which happened around 2:35 p.m., according to the FAA. The agency said the information is preliminary, and the incident remains under investigation. Republic Airways said the flight, operating as American Airlines Flight 4464, aborted its initial landing attempt and performed a go-around during its approach into JFK. “During their approach into JFK, the crew…received a resolution advisory,” the airline said. “They complied with the advisory and, consistent with our training and procedures, executed a go-around to land without further incident.” Air Canada said its flight from Toronto received a traffic warning and direction from air traffic control during its approach into JFK. “The crew took immediate action,” the airline said. “Safety is our top priority and our crews are well-trained to deal with many operational situations such as this.” The airline added that the flight landed safely.

A violent chemical reaction at a West Virginia plant killed two people and sent about 30 others to the hospital. Emergency responders were called to Catalyst Refiners, a silver recovery business, just before 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday. “Officials said two people died and others received medical treatment after a chemical reaction resulted in the release of hydrogen sulfide at Catalyst Refiners in Institute,” WCHS reports. #BREAKING: Officials say two people have died and 19 others were transported to hospitals following a deadly chemical spill incident in the town of Institute West Virginia. Authorities report that a chemical reaction at Catalyst Refiners led to the release of hydrogen sulfide,… pic.twitter.com/fulghpfpoX — R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) April 23, 2026 “We really need prayers tonight coming out of West Virginia for the individuals who lost their lives today and for an individual we know to be in serious condition and for everyone who has been affected by today’s incident,” West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey said, according to WCHS. “We have a lot of people to thank. I think we’re fortunate to be in a place where we’re collaborating. We’re going to do everything we can to help the people of Kanawha County and across our state,” he added. “The West Virginia Department of Homeland Security’s Emergency Management Division (EMD), the Department of Health, and the Department of Environmental Protection are coordinating closely with Kanawha County Emergency Management to address a chemical incident at the Ames Goldsmith Catalyst Refiners along the border of Nitro and Institute. EMD personnel are currently stationed at the county’s Command Center to provide direct operational support and DEP is providing decontamination and disposal assistance. State emergency leaders continue to monitor the situation and remain ready to deploy additional resources,” Morrisey wrote on X. “A number of individuals are currently receiving treatment at local hospitals, and state agencies stand ready to assist those affected as well. Residents in the surrounding area should continue to follow the Personal Protective Measures issued by Kanawha County for further safety guidance and updates,” he continued. Governor Morrisey Issues Statement on Chemical Incident in Kanawha County The West Virginia Department of Homeland Security’s Emergency Management Division (EMD), the Department of Health, and the Department of Environmental Protection are coordinating closely with Kanawha… — Governor Patrick Morrisey (@wvgovernor) April 22, 2026 WCHS shared further: The incident was reported Wednesday morning, prompting a mile-wide shelter in place that has since been lifted. County officials said there is no threat to the public as air and water tests have been conducted in Institute, Dunbar, Nitro and St. Albans. The Department of Environmental Protection is assisting with cleanup efforts and disposing of waste materials. Two people have died following a chemical incident at Catalyst Refiners in the Institute area, Kanawha County officials confirmed Wednesday. World News Tonight shared video coverage: Emergency crews are on the scene of a deadly chemical leak at a plant in West Virginia. At least 2 people were killed and more than two dozen received medical treatment. @sramosABC reports on the leak that's forced residents to shelter in place for a time. https://t.co/Vk5wtdoSCY pic.twitter.com/QENRIa95ZK — World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) April 22, 2026 More from The New York Times: The Ames Goldsmith Corporation, which operates the plant, said that the deaths included two “colleagues,” and that a third person was being treated at a hospital. Other employees were being evaluated at a hospital as a precaution, the company added. Ames Goldsmith said the casualties were the result of an industrial incident that “appears to have resulted in the creation of chemical fumes” at the plant. The fumes were contained in one building, it said. Ben Salango, the president of the Kanawha County Commissioners, said at a news conference that preliminary information indicated that the site was “shutting down operations” and that cleaning and decontamination activities were underway when the episode occurred. It was not immediately clear how much of the facility was being shut down. “At this time it is believed that a chemical reaction occurred during that cleaning process that created hydrogen sulfide,” Mr. Salango said. Hydrogen sulfide is a flammable, colorless gas that smells like rotten eggs. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, just a few breaths of air containing high levels of hydrogen sulfide can cause death. Longer-term exposure at lower levels can cause eye irritation, headache and fatigue. During a news conference on Wednesday evening, state officials assured residents that both the water and air surrounding the plant were chemical-free. Watch additional coverage below: