Thomas Modly

Born in 1960, Modly is the son of Eastern European immigrants who escaped from behind the Iron Curtain after World War II.{{cite web |title=Acting Secretary of the Navy-Under Secretary of the Navy, Thomas B.Modly Call Sign "Modes" |url=https://www.nhahistoricalsociety.org/secretary-navy-thomas-b-modly-biography/ |website=Naval Helicopter Association Historical Society}} Modly was raised in Cleveland, Ohio, graduating from Shaker Heights High School in 1979.{{cite news |last1=Eaton |first1=Sabrina |title=Cleveland-area native Thomas Modly resigns as acting Navy secretary amid coronavirus firing flap |url=https://www.cleveland.com/open/2020/04/cleveland-area-native-thomas-modly-resigns-as-acting-navy-secretary-amid-coronavirus-firing-flap.html |access-date=April 8, 2020 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |date=April 7, 2020}} He is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy class of 1983,{{cite web|url=http://www.nhahistoricalsociety.org/index.php/secretary-navy-thomas-b-modly-biography/|title=Acting Secretary of the Navy-Under Secretary of the Navy, Thomas B. Modly Call Sign 'Modes'|publisher=Naval Helicopter Association Historical Society|access-date=April 7, 2020}} Georgetown University, and Harvard Business School.

After graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy, Modly served on active duty in the United States Navy as a helicopter pilot and spent seven years as a U.S. Navy officer.{{cite news |title=President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Personnel to Key Administration Posts |url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2017/09/02/president-donald-j-trump-announces-intent-nominate-personnel-key |access-date=October 4, 2017|via=National Archives |work=whitehouse.gov |date=September 2, 2017}}{{PD-notice}} He has held various leadership positions at Iconixx, Oxford Associates, and UNC Inc.,{{cite news|last1=Martin|first1=Nichols|title=President Trump to Nominate Thomas Modly for Navy Undersecretary Post|url=https://www.executivegov.com/2017/12/president-trump-to-nominate-thomas-modly-for-navy-undersecretary-post/|access-date=October 4, 2017|work=Executive Gov|date=September 6, 2017}} and taught political science at the United States Air Force Academy.{{cite news |last1=Eckstein |first1=Megan |title=SOCOM's James Geurts Nominated to Serve as Navy Acquisition Chief; Modly Nominated as Under Secretary |url=https://news.usni.org/2017/09/11/socoms-james-geurts-nominated-serve-navy |access-date=October 4, 2017 |date=September 11, 2017 |work=USNI News |publisher=United States Naval Institute}} Modly was Chief Management Officer and Chief Information Officer for the Department of the Navy.{{cite web|title=Thomas B. Modly Former Acting Secretary of the Navy|url=https://www.defense.gov/About/Biographies/Biography/Article/1905292/thomas-b-modly/|access-date=7 July 2021|website=U.S. Department of Defense}}

Modly was a managing director of the PricewaterhouseCoopers global government and public services sector, as well as its global government defense network leader. He was the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Financial Management and the first executive director of the Defense Business Board.

Modly was nominated as Under Secretary of the Navy by President Donald Trump in September 2019 and was confirmed by the Senate two months later on November 25, 2019, following the firing of Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer.{{cite web |last1=Rambaran |first1=Vandana |title=Eddie Gallagher controversy: Esper fires Navy secretary, SEAL will keep Trident pin, Pentagon says |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/navy-seal-eddie-gallagher-review-board-trump-interference |website=Fox News |date=November 24, 2019 |access-date=23 July 2021}}{{Cite web|date=2017-11-16|title=PN891 – Nomination of Thomas B. Modly for Department of Defense, 115th Congress (2017–2018)|url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/115th-congress/891|access-date=2020-02-17|website=congress.gov}} As Acting Secretary of the Navy, Modly advocated for building a larger fleet beyond the 355 ship goal established by Congress. He referred to this goal as "355 Plus" because it would include unmanned vessels along with a larger number of smaller and more distributed surface ships.{{cite web |last1=Modly |first1=Thomas B. |title=The enduring case for American naval power |url=https://www.defensenews.com/opinion/commentary/2019/03/26/the-enduring-case-for-american-naval-power/ |website=Defense News |date=March 26, 2019 |access-date=23 July 2021}}

File:CVN-71-2019-10-01-1.jpg

{{main|COVID-19 pandemic on USS Theodore Roosevelt}}

Captain Brett Crozier was captain of the US aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, deployed in the Pacific. On March 24, 2020, after two weeks at sea, three members of the crew tested positive for COVID-19. The next day, eight more sailors were infected, and within a few days it was "dozens."

Crozier sent an email to 10 people: his immediate superior, Rear Admiral Stuart P. Baker; and two other admirals of U.S. forces in the Pacific, with copies to seven other Navy captains,{{cite news |last1=Lamothe |first1=Dan |last2=Boburg |first2=Shawn |title=How an outbreak on the USS Theodore Roosevelt became a defining moment for the U.S. military |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/how-an-outbreak-on-the-uss-roosevelt-became-a-defining-moment-for-the-us-military/2020/04/16/2735f85c-7f24-11ea-8de7-9fdff6d5d83e_story.html |access-date=April 18, 2020 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=April 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200417141514/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/how-an-outbreak-on-the-uss-roosevelt-became-a-defining-moment-for-the-us-military/2020/04/16/2735f85c-7f24-11ea-8de7-9fdff6d5d83e_story.html|archive-date=April 17, 2020}} but not including Acting Secretary Modly or Modly's chief of staff.{{cite news |last=Ignatius |first=David |title=Acting Navy chief fired Crozier for 'panicking' – and before Trump could intervene |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/04/05/acting-navy-chief-fired-crozier-panicking-before-trump-might-intervene/ |access-date=April 7, 2020 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=April 5, 2020}} (Modly later said, incorrectly, that the email was sent to "20 or 30" recipients.{{Cite news|last=Simkins|first=J.D. |date=April 17, 2020|title='Regardless of the impact to my career' – Crozier's email revealed, Navy won't rule out reinstatement|url=https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2020/04/16/regardless-of-the-impact-to-my-career-croziers-email-revealed-navy-wont-rule-out-reinstatement/ |work=NavyTimes}}) The letter criticized the Navy's management of a COVID-19 outbreak on board the Theodore Roosevelt,{{Cite news |first=David |last=Welna |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/02/826317152/uss-roosevelt-commander-removed-after-criticizing-handling-of-coronavirus-outbre |title=USS Roosevelt Commander Removed After Criticizing Handling Of Coronavirus Outbreak |date=April 2, 2020 |website=NPR.org |language=en |access-date=April 3, 2020}} and recommended decisive action to deal with it.{{Cite news |date=April 2, 2020 |first1=Courtney |last1=Kube |first2=Mosheh |last2=Gains |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/military/navy-expected-relieve-captain-who-raised-alarm-about-covid-19-n1175351 |title=Navy relieves captain who raised alarm about COVID-19 on ship |work=NBC News |language=en |access-date=April 3, 2020}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/04/02/navy-fires-roosevelt-captain-coronavirus-help-ship-sailors/5116256002/ |title=Navy fires USS Theodore Roosevelt captain days after he pleaded for help for sailors with coronavirus |last=Vanden Brook |first=Tom |work=USA Today |language=en-US |access-date=April 3, 2020 |date=April 2, 2020}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/navy-relieves-uss-theodore-roosevelt-captain-loss-of-confidence-2020-4 |title=US Navy fires the captain of the aircraft carrier stricken by a coronavirus outbreak| last=Pickrell |first=Ryan |website=Business Insider |access-date=April 3, 2020 |date=April 3, 2020}}{{Cite news |first=Caitlin M. |last=Kenney |url=https://www.stripes.com/news/us/captain-of-uss-roosevelt-relieved-of-command-after-letter-about-coronavirus-outbreak-was-leaked-1.624691 |title=Captain of USS Roosevelt relieved of command after letter about coronavirus outbreak was leaked |website=Stars and Stripes |access-date=April 3, 2020 |date=April 2, 2020}} The letter was then leaked to the press.

On April 2, 2020, while serving as Acting Secretary of the Navy, Thomas Modly dismissed Captain Crozier from command of the Theodore Roosevelt. Modly said he had lost confidence in Crozier's judgment because he claimed the letter went against the advice of Admiral Michael M. Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations, who argued that usual Navy procedures would require an investigation before such an action.{{cite news |first1=Eric |last1=Schmitt |first2=Helene |last2=Cooper |first3=Thomas |last3=Gibbons-Neff |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/06/us/politics/coronavirus-navy-secretary-roosevelt-crozier.html?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_NN_p_20200407&instance_id=17431&nl=morning-briefing®i_id=16153474§ion=topNews&segment_id=24138&te=1&user_id=e9848bda5d7546386411f6e2fbdaf95e |title=How a Ship's Coronavirus Outbreak Became a Moral Crisis for the Military |date=April 7, 2020 |work=The New York Times |access-date=April 7, 2020}}

Modly also said he acted to prevent a repetition of a 2019 incident in which "the Navy Department got crossways with the president" after Trump's intervention in the case of Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher. "I put myself in the president's shoes," Modly stated. "I considered how the president felt like he needed to get involved in Navy decisions. I didn't want that to happen again." The situation has been described as highlighting "a growing divide between senior uniformed commanders and their civilian bosses".

On April 6, Modly flew to Guam and made a speech{{cite web |url=https://taskandpurpose.com/news/navy-secretary-blasts-fired-aircraft-carrier-captain |title=Acting Navy Secretary blasts USS Roosevelt captain as 'too naive or too stupid' in leaked speech to ship's crew |work=Task & Purpose |access-date=April 6, 2020 |date=April 6, 2020 |first=Schogol |last=Jeff}} to the Theodore Roosevelt′s crew over the ship's PA system. In it he criticized and ridiculed Crozier,{{cite news |first1=Phil |last1=Stewart |first2=Idrees |last2=Ali |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-navy/trump-says-may-jump-into-navy-furor-after-captain-ridiculed-in-speech-idUSKBN21O1TM |title=Trump says may jump into Navy furor after captain ridiculed in speech |work=Reuters |date=April 6, 2020}}{{cite news |first=Idrees |last=Ali |editor-first=Grant |editor-last=McCool |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-navy/ex-u-s-navy-secretarys-guam-trip-to-ridicule-commander-cost-taxpayers-243000-officials-idUSKCN21R030 |title=Ex-U.S. Navy secretary's Guam trip to ridicule commander cost taxpayers $243,000: officials |work=Reuters |date=April 8, 2020}} saying "if he didn't think that information was going to get out into the public... then he was [either] too naive or too stupid to be a commanding officer of a ship like this [or] he did this on purpose."{{Cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/06/politics/thomas-modly-transcript/index.html |title=Transcript: Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly addresses USS Theodore Roosevelt crew about 'stupid' ousted captain |work=CNN |access-date=2020-04-07 |date=2020-04-06}}

In other parts of Modly's speech, he told the sailors: "you're not required to love" Crozier, and that the only thing they should expect from their leaders is to "treat you fairly and put the mission of the ship first".{{cite news |last1=Becket |first1=Stefan |title=Acting Navy secretary rips ousted captain of aircraft carrier facing coronavirus outbreak |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-thomas-modly-acting-navy-secretary-uss-theodore-roosevelt-brett-crozier/ |access-date=April 18, 2020 |work=CBS News |date=April 6, 2020}} Modly also used his speech to criticize the media, future Democratic nominee Joe Biden, and China.{{cite news |last1=Ismay |first1=John |last2=Ziezulewicz |first2=Geoff |title=Acting Navy Secretary Slams Fired Captain as 'Stupid'|date=April 13, 2020 |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/06/magazine/modly-crozier-coronavirus.html |access-date=April 18, 2020|archive-date=April 18, 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200418133037/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/06/magazine/modly-crozier-coronavirus.html}}{{cite news |last1=Welna |first1=David |title=Acting Navy Secretary Lashes Out On Virus-Plagued Ship At Commander He Fired |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/04/06/828355228/acting-navy-secretary-lashes-out-on-virus-plagued-ship-at-commander-he-fired |access-date=April 18, 2020 |work=NPR |date=April 6, 2020}}

While giving the speech, which The New York Times described as a "tirade",{{Cite news|last1=Cooper|first1=Helene|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/07/us/politics/coronavirus-navy-captain-firing.html|title=Acting Navy Secretary Resigns After Outcry Over Criticism of Virus-Stricken Crew|date=2020-04-07|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-04-09|last2=Schmitt|first2=Eric|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|last3=Gibbons-Neff|first3=Thomas}} Modly was heckled by some of the sailors.{{cite news |last1=Borger|first1=Julian |title=US navy official apologises for calling captain behind coronavirus memo 'naive or stupid' |date=April 7, 2020 |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/apr/06/navy-coronavirus-ship-theodore-roosevelt-thomas-modly |access-date=April 7, 2020}} Modly spent 30 minutes on the ship and left; the round trip taken by Modly took 50 hours{{Cite web|url=https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2020/04/inside-wild-final-week-acting-navy-secretary/164710/|title=Inside the Wild Final Week of the Acting Navy Secretary|last=Peniston|first=Bradley|website=Defense One|date=April 17, 2020 |access-date=2020-04-19}} and was estimated to have cost taxpayers more than $243,000.{{cite news |last=Lamothe |first=Dan |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2020/04/08/trip-guam-center-top-navy-officials-resignation-cost-taxpayers-least-243000/ |title=Trip to Guam at center of top Navy official's resignation cost taxpayers over $243,000 |date=April 8, 2020 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=April 9, 2020 |language=en}} Due to his trip to the Theodore Roosevelt, Modly himself was quarantined.{{cite web |url=https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2020/04/15/covid-19-outbreak-on-theodore-roosevelt-sparked-by-flight-crews-officials-believe/ |title=COVID-19 outbreak on Theodore Roosevelt sparked by flight crews, officials believe |work=Navy Times |last=Simkin |first=J. D. |date=April 16, 2020 |access-date=April 16, 2020}} Modly's comments were quickly leaked to the media first as a transcript and then as an audio recording.{{cite news |last1=Larter |first1=David |title=Modly apologizes for remarks as key lawmakers call for his resignation |url=https://www.defensenews.com/2020/04/07/modly-apologies-for-remarks-as-key-lawmakers-call-for-his-resignation/ |access-date=April 18, 2020 |work=Defense News |date=April 6, 2020}}

When questioned about his comments to the crew, Modly said he stood "by every word", including profanity that he said he used for emphasis.{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/06/kaine-blasts-navy-leaders-completely-inappropriate-comments-on-fired-captain-168482|title=Acting Navy secretary: 'I stand by every word I said' after leak of carrier speech|last1=O'Brien|first1=Connor|last2=Seligman|first2=Lara|date=April 6, 2020|website=Politico|language=en|access-date=April 6, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/06/politics/uss-tr-crozier-modly/index.html|title=Acting Navy secretary blasts ousted aircraft carrier captain as 'stupid' in address to ship's crew|last1=Starr|first1=Barbara|last2=Perez|first2=Evan|date=April 6, 2020|website=CNN|access-date=April 6, 2020|last3=Browne|first3=Ryan}} He later apologized for his comments, saying "I believe, precisely because [Crozier] is not naive or 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."

When the audio of his speech was released, Modly resigned the next day.{{cite news |work=CNN | date = April 7, 2020 | title = Acting secretary of the Navy resigns after calling ousted aircraft carrier captain 'stupid' |first1=Jim |last1=Sciutto |first2=Barbara |last2=Starr |first3=Zachary |last3=Cohen |first4=Ryan |last4=Browne |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/07/politics/modly-resign-crozier-esper-trump/index.html }}

Congressmen Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) called on the Department of Defense Inspector General to investigate whether Acting Secretary Modly had acted inappropriately in relieving Crozier of his command. The following week they sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Mark Esper calling for Modly to be fired because of his comments to sailors aboard the Theodore Roosevelt and his decision to relieve Crozier.{{cite press release |first1=Ted W. |last1=Lieu |first2=Ruben |last2=Gallego |url=https://lieu.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-lieu-and-gallego-call-navy-secretarys-firing |title=Reps Lieu and Gallego Call for Navy Secretary's Firing in Letter to DOD |website=Congressman Ted Lieu |access-date=April 6, 2020 |language=en |date=April 6, 2020}} Several other Democratic members of Congress, including Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, joined in the call for Modly's resignation or removal. On April 7, Modly apologized for his comments and resigned from his position.{{Cite news |last=Bennett |first=John T. |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/thomas-modly-resign-navy-secretary-captain-coronavirus-ship-letter-trump-a9453896.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/thomas-modly-resign-navy-secretary-captain-coronavirus-ship-letter-trump-a9453896.html |archive-date=May 7, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Navy Secretary resigns after calling fired captain behind coronavirus letter 'stupid' and 'naive' |date=April 7, 2020 |work=The Independent |access-date=April 7, 2020 |language=en}}{{cbignore}} He later said in a U.S. Naval Institute podcast, released on February 24, 2021, "I didn't want the TR situation, the COVID situation, and the Captain Crozier situation to dominate the Navy any more and so I figured if I had stayed there it would. It would have lingered for more time and it would have distracted the Navy from what it needed to do."{{cite web |title=Proceedings Podcast Episode 209 – Modly Talks TR COVID Lessons Learned |url=https://soundcloud.com/naval-institute/proceedings-podcast-episode-209-modly-talks-tr-covid-lessons-learned |website=Soundcloud |publisher=U.S. Naval Institute |access-date=26 July 2021}}

Modly is married to Robyn Modly; the couple have four children together.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dvidshub.net/news/362641/oahu-military-family-readiness-provides-resources-meet-service-members-needs|title=Oahu Military Family Readiness Provides Resources to Meet Service Members Needs|last=Langer |first=Devin |publisher=Defense Visual Information Distribution Service|website=dvidshub.net|date=January 31, 2020|access-date=April 7, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.doncio.navy.mil/CHIPS/ArticleDetails.aspx?ID=12512|title=Under Secretary of the Navy Thomas B. Modly Remarks at The Patuxent Partnership|last=Modly|first=Thomas B.|publisher=United States Department of the Navy|work=CHIPS|date=June 11, 2019|access-date=April 7, 2020}}

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Category:1960 births

Category:Georgetown University alumni

Category:Harvard Business School alumni

Category:Living people

Category:Military personnel from Cleveland

Category:PwC people

Category:First Trump administration personnel

Category:United States Naval Academy alumni

Category:United States Navy officers

Category:United States Naval Aviators

Category:United States secretaries of the navy

Category:United States Under Secretaries of the Navy