周二，代理海军部长托马斯·莫德里递交了辞呈，就在一天前，他无意中听到泄露的音频称被驱逐的美国总统西奥多·罗斯福的指挥官布雷特·克罗泽上尉在对全体船员的讲话中是“愚蠢的”。
自去年11月以来一直担任美国海军代理部长的莫德利，周二辞职，原因是外界对他抨击克罗泽的言论提出了越来越多的批评，他在讲话中指责这位最近被解职的航空母舰船长“背叛”克罗泽上周被解除美国西奥多号船长职务，随后在他3月份给军方领导人发了一封信，请求协助处理船上几十起新出现的COVID-19病例后，他的冠状病毒检测呈阳性。这封信被泄露给美国媒体，促使唐纳德·特朗普总统在白宫新闻发布会上给克罗泽贴上“可怕”的标签。
莫德利制造了激烈的演讲反对被废黜的船长在停靠关岛时使用该船的扩音系统。
据几份报道称，国防部长马克·埃斯珀对泄露的抨击克罗泽的音频做出回应，命令他道歉。3月30日，克罗泽向军方高层发送了一封冠状病毒警告信，引发了一场“大争论”，之后他激怒了机组人员，并给克罗泽贴上了“太天真或太愚蠢”的标签。在克罗泽发出警告后，超过155名船员的冠状病毒检测呈阳性，包括指挥官本人。
一系列高调的华盛顿政客本周开始要求莫德利辞职，包括众议院议长南希·佩洛西、民主党参议员谭美·达克沃斯和参议员理查德·布卢门撒尔。周二，众议院小组委员会主席要求五角大楼交出与美国罗斯福号上被忽视的冠状病毒爆发相关的文件。
周一晚些时候，莫德里在一份声明中就克罗齐尔之前的言论向他道歉:“让我澄清一下，我不认为布雷特·克罗齐尔上尉天真也不愚蠢。我认为，并一直相信他是相反的，”莫德里在他的声明中说。“我们非常小心地挑选我们的航母指挥官。克罗泽船长既聪明又热情。我相信，正是因为他并不天真和愚蠢，他发送了他的令人担忧的电子邮件，目的是让它进入公共领域，以努力吸引公众对他的船上的情况的关注。我为这一措辞可能造成的任何混乱道歉。”
据美国有线电视新闻网周二下午报道，美国陆军代理副部长詹姆斯·麦克弗森已被任命接替莫德利。海军没有回应新闻周刊周二下午请求对此事发表评论。
莫德里对嘲笑克罗泽的水手们的评论指责他有可能在指挥系统之外故意通过非机密邮件发送这封信。莫德里还回应了民主党总统候选人乔·拜登关于海军对待克罗泽是“犯罪行为”的言论
周二，代理海军部长托马斯·莫德里递交了辞呈，就在一天前，他无意中听到泄露的音频称被驱逐的美国总统西奥多·罗斯福的指挥官布雷特·克罗泽上尉在对全体船员的讲话中是“愚蠢的”。
ACTING U.S. NAVY SECRETARY THOMAS MODLY RESIGNS AFTER USS ROOSEVELT LEAKED AUDIO REVEALED HIM BERATING CAPTAIN BRETT CROZIER
Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly submitted his resignation Tuesday, just one day after leaked audio overheard him calling ousted U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt commander, Captain Brett Crozier, "stupid" in an address to the ship's crew.
Modly, who served as Acting U.S. Secretary of the Navy since November, resigned Tuesday as criticism mounted over his Crozier-bashing remarks to sailors in which he accused the recently removed aircraft carrier captain of "betrayal." Crozier was removed as captain of the U.S.S. Theodore last week and later tested positive for coronavirus after he sent a March letter to military leadership pleading for assistance in handling dozens of emerging COVID-19 cases aboard the ship. The letter was leaked to U.S. media outlets and prompted President Donald Trump to label Crozier "terrible" during a White House press conference.
Modly made the blistering speech against the deposed skipper using the ship's PA system while it was docked in Guam.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper, responding to the leaked audio of Modly bashing Crozier, ordered him to apologize, according to several reports. Modly riled up crew members and labeled Crozier "too naive or too stupid" after he created a "big controversy" by sending the coronavirus warning letter dated March 30 to military brass. After Crozier's warning, more than 155 crew members tested positive for coronavirus, including the commander himself.
A range of high-profile Washington politicians began calling for Modly's resignation this week, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth and Senator Richard Blumenthal. A House subcommittee chairman on Tuesday had requested the Pentagon hand over documents tied to the coronavirus outbreak Navy leadership ignored aboard the U.S.S. Roosevelt.
Late Monday, Modly offered an apology to Crozier over his earlier remarks in a statement: "Let me be clear, I do not think Captain Brett Crozier is naive nor stupid. I think, and always believed him to be the opposite," Modly said in his statement. "We pick our carrier commanding officers with great care. Captain Crozier is smart and passionate. I believe, precisely because he is not naive and stupid, that he sent his alarming email with the intention of getting it into the public domain in an effort to draw public attention to the situation on his ship. I apologize for any confusion this choice of words may have caused."
Acting Undersecretary of the Army, James McPherson, has been tapped to succeed Modly, CNN reported Tuesday afternoon. The Navy did not respond to Newsweek's request for comment on the matter Tuesday afternoon.
Modly's remarks to sailors ridiculing Crozier accused him of potentially sending the letter outside the chain of command and through an unclassified email deliberately. Modly also responded to Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden's remark that the Navy's treatment of Crozier was "criminal."
Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly submitted his resignation Tuesday, just one day after leaked audio overheard him calling ousted U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt commander, Captain Brett Crozier, "stupid" in an address to the ship's crew.
