In a leaked audio recording (below) Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly tells sailors aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt their beloved commanding officer, who he fired late last week, was “too stupid” to helm their ship.
In the audio one person’s voice, presumably a sailor under Captain Crozier, can be heard responding to Modly’s remarks in astonishment, by saying, “What the f*ck?”
The audio was first published by Task & Purpose.
Modly fired Crozier after the captain sent a letter to his superiors pleading for help with the coronavirus. At the time he sent the letter, 100 or more sailors had been infected. As of today, that number is 173 or more. Among them now is Capt. Crozier himself.
At one point Modly tells the sailors they’d be “pretty f*cking scared” if a missile were coming at them, suggesting that it’s OK they are at risk of dying of the coronavirus.
He also blames China for the coronavirus, which could be problematic for US-China relations.
Modly told the sailors Crozier should have known his letter would leak to the press – just as the below audio did.
At the very end Mody says, “Go Navy,” and someone repeats it, in what sounds like a mocking tone.
Listen: