Esper says Trump did not order Navy to fire captain of USS Theodore Roosevelt

The president has publicly supported the decision; meanwhile, fired skipper tests positive for COVID-19

Published: April 5, 2020 1:18pm

Updated: April 5, 2020 3:27pm

Defense Secretary Mark Esper today said that the decision to relieve the USS Theodore Roosevelt's Captain Bret Crozier of command was made not by President Trump, but by Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly.

During CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday broadcast, host Jake Tapper said, "Acting Navy Secretary Modly reportedly told a colleague on Friday, quote, 'Breaking news: Trump wants him fired.' " Tapper then asked Esper whether President Trump decided to fire Crozier.

"This was Secretary Modly's decision. He briefed me about it," Esper said. "I took the advice of the CNO and General Milley with regard to it. And I told him I would support his decision."

Until he was fired on Thursday, Crozier commanded the aircraft carrier Roosevelt, where coronavirus has spread among the crew.

Crozier was relieved of command in the wake of the publication of his letter calling for most of his crew to disembark the ship because of the outbreak. During a Pentagon press briefing, Modly announced the decision to fire Crozier, and the reasons behind it.

Crozier himself has tested positive for coronavirus, the New York Times reports.

Esper said that more than half of the crew has undergone coronavirus testing, and just 155 have tested positive, all with "mild and moderate" conditions with "no hospitalizations whatsoever."

He also said that an investigation into the decision to relieve Crozier of command is ongoing.

President Trump has publicly supported Crozier's ouster.

"I thought it was terrible what he did, to write a letter,” the president said at Saturday's coronavirus press conference. “I mean, this isn't a class on literature. This is a captain of a massive ship that's nuclear powered. And he shouldn't be talking that way in a letter. He could call and ask, and suggest," the president said.

Asked if he was consulted on the decision to fire Crozier, Trump replied: "I don't want to comment as to whether or not but I agree with their decision 100 percent.”