Chain of command matters in the military (and it matters in life, too, albeit less so). John Phelan, secretary of the navy until his Wednesday firing, learned this the hard way.

“Multiple sources told CNN there was tension for months between Phelan and [Secretary of War Pete] 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,” CNN reported.

Possibly the secretary of the navy viewed his position as a cabinet-level position as past secretaries of the navy have viewed it (that changed after the Second World War).

When Hegseth fired Phelan, Phelan unwittingly affirmed Hegseth’s reasoning. He apparently called the White House in disbelief for confirmation. Still, that was not enough. He then went to the White House, and in a brief, in-person meeting with the president, according to CNN, the president affirmed that Phelan was indeed fired.