WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Navy's acting secretary has been forced to apologize after a profanity-laden broadside in which he called the fired commander of the coronavirus-stricken USS Theodore Roosevelt "too naive or too stupid."
Thomas Modly issued a written apology Monday hours after President Donald Trump described his comments about Capt. Brett E. Crozier as "rough."
Modly had relieved Crozier of command of the ship last week, saying he showed "extremely poor judgment" in widely distributing a memo pleading for an accelerated evacuation of the crew members to protect their health.
Late Monday, Modly apologized for "any pain" his remarks caused and praised Crozier as "not naive and stupid."
