Acting US Navy secretary apologizes to carrier commander after rebuke

Acting U.S. Navy Secretary Thomas Modly issued an apology on April 6 to the former commander of a coronavirus-stricken aircraft carrier after sharply criticizing him in a speech to his crew, just days after firing him.

"I do not think Captain Brett Crozier is naive nor stupid," Modly said amid calls for his removal, including from the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, a Democrat.

The apology, which Modly also extended to the carrier's crew and Crozier's family, was a reversal from a statement the Navy's top civilian issued hours earlier that said: "I stand by every word I said."

Modly, in a surprise speech to the crew of a coronavirus-stricken aircraft carrier, castigated their former commander for writing a leaked letter that demanded the Navy take stronger action to halt the spread of the illness.   

"If he didn't think that information was going to get out into the public in this information age that we live in, then he was A, too naive or too stupid to be a commanding officer of a ship like this," he said.   

"The alternative is that he did it on purpose."   

Modly said the leak of the letter amounted to a betrayal by the captain, who was responsible one way or another.   

U.S. officials verified a recording of the speech heard by Reuters. Shortly after his comments leaked, Modly issued a statement that said: "I stand by every word I said, even, regrettably any profanity that may have been used for emphasis."   

A sailor on board the ship told Reuters that Modly's speech only angered the crew.   

"Nobody likes what he had to say... He made everyone more irritated," said the sailor, who spoke on condition of anonymity.     

Crozier's crew members showed their disapproval of...