By Staff, Agencies

The US Navy has removed the commander of a guided-missile destroyer that participated in military operations against Iran, while a senior Navy admiral serving as the physician to the US Congress has separately resigned amid allegations of misconduct and concerns over medical oversight, according to reports by The Hill and CBS News.

The two departures involve separate circumstances, with the Navy declining to provide further details about the destroyer commander’s dismissal, while the physician’s resignation follows scrutiny of medical practices and working conditions within his office.

Cmdr. Caitlin Cunningham was relieved of command of the USS Michael Murphy on September 27 due to a “loss of confidence,” a Navy official told The Hill on Friday.

Her removal was ordered by Rear Adm. Todd F. Cimicata, commander of Carrier Strike Group 10. The decision, initially reported by USNI News, came less than a year after Cunningham assumed command of the vessel in late October 2025.

The Navy has not disclosed the specific circumstances or reasons behind the decision.

The USS Michael Murphy, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, took part in operations supporting the US-“Israeli” war against Iran. Its missions included enforcing the US naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as operations in the northern Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman.

The destroyer departed Pearl Harbor on December 1, 2025, alongside the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and completed an 11-month deployment this week.

In a statement marking the end of the deployment, the ship’s current commanding officer, Cmdr. David Nicolas, praised the crew’s performance during the mission.

He said the sailors had demonstrated professionalism and determination while confronting aerial and maritime threats and conducting operations through strategically important and contested waterways.

In a separate development, US Senate Majority Leader John Thune confirmed Thursday that Rear Adm. Dr. Brian Monahan, a two-star Navy admiral who had served as the US Capitol’s attending physician since 2009, had resigned.

“My understanding is he’s resigned,” Thune said.

According to a source familiar with the matter who spoke to CBS News, the allegations involving Monahan concerned decisions about medical care and the responsibilities he assigned to sailors serving under his authority. His resignation was first reported by Punchbowl News.

The departure comes amid a Pentagon inspector general investigation that identified significant weaknesses in oversight and management at the Office of the Attending Physician.

A heavily redacted public report highlighted a “gap in clinical quality management” and identified shortcomings in the tracking and inventory management of certain prescription medications, including sleeping aids and painkillers.

The inspector general warned that these deficiencies could expose patients to health and safety risks because medical and prescribing practices were not being adequately monitored.

CBS News also reported that the Navy was conducting a separate investigation into the office.

Meanwhile, Navy Times, as cited by CBS News, reported that military personnel working there had faced pressure to work between 70 and 80 hours per week and perform duties outside their expected medical responsibilities.

These reportedly included personal tasks for members of Congress, such as cutting a congressman’s toenails or delivering medication to a private residence in the early hours of the morning.

The inspector general issued five recommendations to address the problems, including transferring quality-control oversight to an external authority and establishing clearer policies and procedures governing employees’ responsibilities.

The Office of the Attending Physician has provided medical services through the Navy since 1928. Its responsibilities include caring for members of Congress, congressional staff, Supreme Court personnel and visitors to the Capitol complex, as well as preparing for medical emergencies affecting the institution.

CBS News reported that the office had not responded to repeated requests for comment.

The two developments have placed separate areas of Navy operations under scrutiny, involving military command decisions aboard a destroyer deployed during the Iran conflict and concerns over medical supervision and working practices at one of Washington’s longstanding government medical offices.