Navy secretary nominee: Service in 'rough waters' after 'failure of leadership'

The nominee to be Navy secretary on Thursday blamed a “failure of leadership” for the Navy being in “rough waters” and pledged to restore a culture of good order and discipline.

“It saddens me to say that the Department of the Navy is in rough waters due to many factors, but primarily the failure of leadership,” Kenneth Braithwaite told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

“Whether Glen Marine Defense, the ship collisions in 2017, judicial missteps or the crisis recently aboard USS Roosevelt, they are all indicative of a breakdown in the trust of those leading the service,” he added.