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Six Questions We Asked 65 Democratic Convention Attendees

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Six Questions We Asked 65 Democratic Convention Attendees

With the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week, we spoke with 65 party members, leaders and legislators, all attending the convention as delegates or alternates, to gauge their enthusiasm and opinions going into the election.

We talked to them about their views on Kamala Harris, the issues that drive them, what they’ve seen change, formative political moments, their favorite Democrats and who they think represents the future of the party.

1/6

How would you describe your feelings or level of enthusiasm about Kamala Harris as the nominee?

Nearly all the delegates surveyed — from self-described moderates to progressives — were very enthusiastic about Ms. Harris’s nomination. Many said that they felt she was the right candidate for the moment and that they had seen a spike in engagement within their local parties, especially among young people.

“I am so excited, I am tired now from my excitement.”

Pat Spearman,
69, Nevada
state legislator and minister

Tim Drea

“I’m not trying to be corny or anything here. She just seems to be the person for the moment that we need when it comes to so many issues facing American families today.”

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Tim Drea,
66, Illinois
president of the Illinois A.F.L.-C.I.O.

Crystal LaGrone

“Our country doesn’t have the best reputation for elevating women and elevating minorities. So I was a little scared. But then the young people in my life started texting me — my kids, my nieces and my cousins.”

Crystal LaGrone,
51, Oklahoma
I.T. professional

Sam Skardon, the chair of his county party in Charleston, S.C., recalled the early hours of Ms. Harris’s candidacy: “We took a vote in that first meeting, that night that the president withdrew, on whether to endorse Vice President Harris as a delegation. I believe the vote was 58 to 4,” he said. “It’s a testament to her and her strength and her leadership that she consolidated the party so quickly.”

Many delegates said they were inspired by the potential of electing a Black and Asian American woman and talked about what that representation meant for them and their communities.

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Kavya Nair

“I never thought the president would have an Indian name. It’s so special.”

Kavya Nair,
19, Minnesota
student

Shawnté Rothschild

“All of the people that look like me making a difference, it makes me want to work harder. It makes me realize that hey, the American dream does include me.”

Shawnté Rothschild,
46, Arizona
pharmaceutical manager

Just a handful of delegates surveyed provided caveats to their excitement, saying that they needed to see Ms. Harris take a stronger position on ending the war in Gaza.

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In addition to thousands of protesters outside the convention, a small number of convention delegates plan to remain “uncommitted” — representing Democratic primary voters who cast uncommitted ballots to protest President Biden’s Israel policy.

Inga Gibson

“I do not want another Trump presidency, another disastrous Trump presidency. None of us who are uncommitted want that. But we need to see more from Harris.”

Inga Gibson,
52, Hawaii
policy consultant

June Rose

“In order for me to be enthusiastic about her candidacy, I need to hear from her that she will both support a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and an arms embargo.”

June Rose,
29, Rhode Island
chief of staff for city council

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Delegates were chosen before President Biden stepped down from the race and endorsed Vice President Harris. Many praised Mr. Biden’s legislative accomplishments and his sacrifice in stepping down.

“History is littered with examples of powerful men clinging to power even when they know they are going to lose,” said Taylor Sappington, a 32-year-old delegate from Ohio. He added that Mr. Biden’s actions felt liberating in a “pessimistic, hate-filled era of politics.”

2/6

Is there a particular issue that drives you toward or excites you about the Democratic Party right now?

Forty percent of respondents, across ages and genders, said that reproductive rights was a motivating issue for them. They expressed fear and disbelief over the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade and described how the ruling had affected them personally.

Lenora Sorola-Pohlman

“My grandchildren, granddaughters, will not have the same rights as I had growing up, so that’s my biggest concern right now.”

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Lenora Sorola-Pohlman,
69, Texas
business owner

Karmyn Seaberg

“I told my husband, this is the hill I choose to die on. This is worth fighting for.”

Karmyn Seaberg,
66, Texas
retired registered nurse

In 2019, Robert Kahne and his wife made the decision to terminate her pregnancy after discovering at 20 weeks that their fetus had a fatal anomaly. “It was really a devastating moment,” said Mr. Kahne, who is attending the convention as a delegate for Kentucky. “I think about it almost every day.”

Since then, a near-total abortion ban has taken effect in Mr. Kahne’s state: “This issue isn’t an abstract thing to us. This is a real thing to us that we needed, and it’s no longer a right that families who need it have.”

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Kylie Oversen

“It is not very pro-life to be anti-I.V.F., and anti-paid leave, and anti-child care and public education, and all these things that the Republican Party stands for right now.”

Kylie Oversen,
35, North Dakota
attorney

Katie Stuart

“I am really proud to be in Illinois, where I have been able to vote on pretty landmark legislation protecting reproductive freedoms. But it’s scary to think that they could be attacked on a national level.”

Katie Stuart,
53, Illinois
state legislator

More than a quarter said they were worried about maintaining democracy and basic freedoms. Some said they were concerned about Project 2025, a set of conservative policy options that Mr. Trump has distanced himself from but that align with many of his priorities.

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Salauddin Choudhury

“I am from a background where democracy changed every few years and became a dictatorship, so we constantly have to fight. I value democracy more than anything else.”

Salauddin Choudhury,
54, Arizona
tech worker

Daniel Henry

“In Florida and North Florida, we feel like we’ve almost been the guinea pigs of Project 2025 in the way that Governor DeSantis has governed the state.”

Daniel Henry,
32, Florida
procurement professional

Nathan Soltz

“The foundations and institutions and the rule of law that make our country what it is are under serious threat if Donald Trump gets elected.”

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Nathan Soltz,
27, Oregon
chief of staff for state senator

A handful mentioned the economy. In a speech last week, Ms. Harris presented a series of economic proposals, including expanding a tax credit for parents, banning price gouging at grocery stores, spurring more affordable housing and lowering the cost of prescription drugs.

Simón Carlo

“Even though I believe we have a strong economy, sadly it’s been dominated by a select few.”

Simón Carlo,
36, Puerto Rico
attorney and accountant

Izzy Dobbel

“Something that makes me most hopeful is the conversation around helping people get ahead, both in lowering price gouging and advocating for working people.”

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Izzy Dobbel,
26, Illinois
political director at the Chicago Federation of Labor

Ryan Granger

“Affordable housing. There’s a lot of people in my generation that can’t afford a home, even here in the Midwest.”

Ryan Granger,
36, Missouri
regulatory analyst

Many respondents offered more than one issue. Education, climate change, gun control, health care and the rights of immigrants and other groups were cited several times.

Christine Hunschofsky

“I was the mayor of Parkland before becoming a state representative, so gun violence prevention is incredibly important to me.”

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Christine Hunschofsky,
54, Florida
state legislator

Mike Woods

“Public education for me, personally, is an issue that is just so important. I come from a small-town, working-class environment, and I had the world open up.”

Mike Woods,
70, Oklahoma
retired college professor

Howard Chou

“My grandfather was a nationalist who fought against communism, and my grandmother had to flee. That’s why I’m in this country. For people that stir up this rhetoric about criminals coming into this country, they don’t know anything about what they’re talking about.”

Howard Chou,
49, Colorado
political consultant and strategist

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A handful of delegates mentioned the war in Gaza, with some emphasizing the plight of the Palestinian people and others calling for continued U.S. support for Israel in its fight against Hamas.

3/6

Is there something you’ve seen change in the party?

Some respondents focused on the most immediate change — Ms. Harris’s replacement of Mr. Biden at the top of the ticket.

Alex Bores

“There’s that famous quote, ‘If I can’t dance, I don’t want to be part of your revolution.’ I think the last month or so has been a great time.”

Alex Bores,
33, New York
state legislator

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Kathy Jensen

“A lot of us got very depressed for several years. When Kamala and Tim Walz stepped in, the excitement just came back.”

Kathy Jensen,
71, Nebraska
retired teacher

The most common response was that the party has grown more diverse, particularly in positions of leadership. Several reflected on how the party has changed when it comes to L.G.B.T.Q. rights and inclusion, and with promoting younger members.

Tan Pham

“I can see a shift in the gay rights movement. Even in 2012, when Obama came out supporting L.G.B.T.Q., it took him a long time to come out with that support.”

Tan Pham,
39, Massachusetts
marketing director

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Raumesh Akbari

“When you have folks like Maxwell Frost and AOC, and you have Nancy Pelosi giving the reins over to minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, that all kind of signals to folks that there is a pathway for young people.”

Raumesh Akbari,
40, Tennessee
state legislator and lawyer

Neil Makhija

On Kamala Harris: “If you go back to a Democratic convention 20 years ago, you don’t see any of the people in leadership roles like her or like myself.”

Neil Makhija,
37, Pennsylvania
county commissioner

Angela Romero

“I feel like with our vice president being our nominee, it opens up the party to more diversity. I still feel like there are a lot of gatekeepers.”

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Angela Romero,
50, Utah
state legislator, community program manager

Some noted a shift toward progressivism, or a return to more populist roots. Others described their experiences as Democrats in Republican-leaning states, pointing to leaders like Gov. Andy Beshear of Kentucky as models for the party’s future.

Quentin Wathum-Ocama

“At least here in Minnesota, I think that people are really waking up to the possibility of really strong and smart progressive policies.”

Quentin Wathum-Ocama,
33, Minnesota
kindergarten teacher, president of Young Democrats of America

Crystal LaGrone

“In the past we’ve not done great by our Democrats that live in the red states, but I think maybe we’re turning a corner and seeing the value of propping them up.”

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Crystal LaGrone,
51, Oklahoma
I.T. professional

Michael J. Zagrobelny

“There has been a recent change in the party to return to our roots, and to bring back the Democrats that we may have lost over the years when they felt that the Democratic Party left them.”

Michael J. Zagrobelny,
55, New York
labor relations specialist

4/6

Has there been a particularly meaningful or formative political moment in your life?

Nearly a quarter of respondents cited the 2008 election of Barack Obama. (Mr. Obama was the first Democratic president many of those surveyed had been able to vote for.)

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Kevin Ford Jr.

“That was key to me. Just seeing somebody who looked like me be successful in an arena where Black folks haven’t truly been successful, especially on the national stage.”

Kevin Ford Jr.,
34, Maryland
real estate and cannabis entrepreneur

Daniel Mulieri

“It was seeing then-senator Obama give a speech. I can tell you it was just like, I can assume, seeing John F. Kennedy back in the day.”

Daniel Mulieri,
35, Florida
legislative director

Marlon Kimpson

“It brought so many new people into the party, and the excitement, hope and optimism. And by the way, that’s what I’m seeing now.”

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Marlon Kimpson,
55, South Carolina
lawyer, Biden trade committee appointee

Some described other meaningful campaigns and movements.

Sophia Rodriguez

“My dad said: ‘You’re little. Make your way to the front. Go squirm your way to the front so you can see Jimmy Carter up close.’”

Sophia Rodriguez,
57, Ohio
educator

William Eddy

“I took a leave of absence my freshman year to work on Ted Kennedy’s campaign. I guess that would be where the bug started.”

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William Eddy,
Massachusetts
executive director of a trade association

Aaron Sims

“It was very telling the kind of responses that Donald Trump received and what he invoked as a candidate. Prior to that I was actually very much a moderate Republican.”

Aaron Sims,
32, Nevada
accountant

Katie Darling

“After Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed, and Roe v. Wade was overturned, and Louisiana enacted a strict abortion ban, I ran for office. I was seven months pregnant and filmed my pregnancy and birth in my campaign ad.”

Katie Darling,
38, Louisiana
director of partnerships

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The rest cited personal moments or national or world events that helped shape their political views.

Glenn D. Magpantay

“The 1987 National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. October 11.”

Glenn D. Magpantay,
55, New York
attorney, commissioner to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights

Kristan Peters-Hamlin

“What really got me to be actively involved was when George W. Bush was lying to America and the world about weapons of mass destruction.”

Kristan Peters-Hamlin,
Rhode Island
writer and lawyer

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Jeremy Moss

“When Joe Biden went on ‘Meet the Press’ and was one of the first really prominent national figures to endorse same-sex marriage.”

Jeremy Moss,
38, Michigan
state legislator

Jeffrey Dinowitz

“I got involved in political campaigns in 1972, and it was really an outgrowth of opposition to the war in Vietnam.”

Jeffrey Dinowitz,
69, New York
state legislator

Pat Spearman

“One of my sisters and I were among the first people to go to an integrated school in Alabama — Holtville High School. They did not want us there.”

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Pat Spearman,
69, Nevada
state legislator and minister

5/6

Which Democratic figure do you consider your favorite, or think aligns most closely with your positions?

Barack Obama was the most common favorite, mentioned by one-third of the delegates surveyed.

Alex Bores

“The way he was able to inspire hope, to bring people together when so many in society were fighting to push people apart is something I deeply admire.”

Alex Bores,
33, New York
state legislator

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Kyler Gilkey

“My uncle passed away in 2008, but he was actually able to vote absentee from his hospital bed for President Obama. He passed away literally about a week or so after the election was called, so he died knowing that first African American president had been elected.”

Kyler Gilkey,
24, Tennessee
government employee

Several Democrats were mentioned by at least three people:

Kathy Jensen

On Hillary Clinton: “Doggone it, that was so sad. We came so close to getting her elected president, and it didn’t happen. It was a real devastating feeling to me.”

Kathy Jensen,
71, Nebraska
retired teacher

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Lou Grossman

“I met Joe Biden on a train 15, 20 years ago, and he bought me a cup of coffee. And the first time you meet Joe Biden, you love Joe Biden.”

Lou Grossman,
73, Florida
public relations counselor

Gini Ballou

“I love Kamala Harris. I love the fact that she can be positive while remaining tough. It’s not a bad thing for a woman to be assertive and strong.”

Gini Ballou,
64, Idaho
sales manager

June Rose

“Politicians of all parties propose solutions as if we were dealing with smaller problems, and I think AOC and Bernie Sanders meet the moment.”

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June Rose,
29, Rhode Island
chief of staff for city council

The respondents named 53 favorite Democrats in all.

Mark Kelly Tyler

On former Representative Shirley Chisholm: “After watching the Netflix movie, I admire her even more than I did before.”

Mark Kelly Tyler,
58, Pennsylvania
senior pastor

John W. Hedrick

“I very much liked George McGovern when he ran his what turned out to be ill-fated campaign. Though two years later when Nixon was being impeached, you couldn’t find anyone who voted for Nixon.”

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John W. Hedrick,
69, Florida
retired attorney

Rayellen Smith

On Ann Richards, former governor of Texas: “She was brave and bold and charismatic and stood up for her values at a time when many women didn’t hold positions of power at all.”

Rayellen Smith,
68, New Mexico
retired C.P.A.

6/6

Aside from Kamala Harris, which Democratic figure do you think represents the future of the party?

Pete Buttigieg, the secretary of transportation, was the most popular answer.

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Andy Josephson

“If somebody said, ‘Andy, you now have to be in a debate against Pete Buttigieg,’ I’d say: ‘I decline. I‘m not doing it. I’m not going to do that. Why would I do that?’”

Andy Josephson,
60, Alaska
state legislator

Crystal LaGrone

“Has a way of sort of breaking through the noise, giving information, but at the same time, not relinquishing any power when he speaks.”

Crystal LaGrone,
51, Oklahoma
I.T. professional

Other common choices were several Democratic governors, including Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan; Tim Walz of Minnesota (a handful of these interviews took place before he was announced as Ms. Harris’s running mate); Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania; Wes Moore of Maryland; and Andy Beshear of Kentucky.

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Adam Goldwyn

“Gretchen Whitmer is sort of pushing back and saying: Actually government can do good things.”

Adam Goldwyn,
43, North Dakota
professor

Alan Cai

On Tim Walz: “He served in the army. He comes from a working-class background. He was a teacher. I think the future of our party are ordinary people.”

Alan Cai,
18, Massachusetts
student

Michele L. Kidd

“Josh Shapiro has an amazing way of bringing people together across parties. The way that he responded to the assassination attempt of former president Trump was absolutely spot on.”

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Michele L. Kidd,
46, New Jersey
political consultant

Landiran Kern Jr.

On Wes Moore: “He ran away a bunch of times and got in a lot of trouble, but eventually he dialed down. He started focusing on academics, he attended Oxford, and he attended Johns Hopkins University, and now he’s the sitting governor of Maryland.”

Landiran Kern Jr.,
18, Wisconsin
student

Robert Kahne

“Andy Beshear is able to be progressive on every issue without alienating anybody. He shows this leadership that isn’t really ideological.”

Robert Kahne,
38, Kentucky
data scientist

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Several Democratic members of the House were also mentioned.

Gini Ballou

“I love the boldness of Jasmine Crockett. I want to see us be willing to stand up and say, ‘No, you can’t treat us like that.’”

Gini Ballou,
64, Idaho
sales manager

Sungkwan Jang

On Representative Ro Khanna of California: “I think he presents a very thoughtful vision on progressive values and policies that also makes sense to everyone, whether you work in Silicon Valley or on Main Street.”

Sungkwan Jang,
34, New Jersey
consultant

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Pat Spearman

On Representative Jennifer McClellan of Virginia: “She is a very quiet but powerful leader, and I would keep my eye on her.”

Pat Spearman,
69, Nevada
state legislator and minister

Overall, participants named 44 Democrats they thought represented the party’s future.

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Navy Secretary John Phelan Is Leaving the Pentagon and the Trump Administration

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Navy Secretary John Phelan Is Leaving the Pentagon and the Trump Administration

Navy Secretary John Phelan was fired on Wednesday after months of infighting with senior Pentagon leaders and disagreements over how to revive the Navy’s struggling shipbuilding program.

Mr. Phelan is leaving the Pentagon and the Trump administration effective immediately, wrote Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman, in a terse statement.

In his role leading the Navy, Mr. Phelan had championed the “Golden Fleet,” a major investment in new ships including a “Trump-class” battleship. But Mr. Phelan’s leadership was marred by feuds with senior leaders in the Pentagon, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg, Pentagon and congressional officials said.

Mr. Phelan is the first service secretary to leave the administration, though he is the second one to clash with the defense secretary. Mr. Hegseth also has butted heads with Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll over promotions and a host of other issues. Mr. Hegseth fired the Army’s chief of staff, Gen. Randy George, earlier this month.

The Navy secretary has no role overseeing deployed forces, and Mr. Phelan’s firing is not likely to have significant implications for the conduct of the Iran war or U.S. Navy operations to blockade Iranian ports or open the Strait of Hormuz. As the Navy’s top civilian leader, his main responsibility is to oversee the building of the future naval and Marine Corps force.

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But the tumult could make it harder for the Navy to replenish its stock of Tomahawk missiles and high-end air defense systems, which have been in heavy use in Iran.

Tensions had been simmering for months between Mr. Phelan and his two bosses — Mr. Hegseth and Mr. Feinberg — over management style, personnel issues and other matters.

Mr. Feinberg, in particular, had grown increasingly dissatisfied with Mr. Phelan’s handling of the Navy’s major new shipbuilding initiative, and had been siphoning off responsibility for the project from him, said the congressional official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters.

Mr. Phelan, a White House appointee, also had a contentious relationship with his deputy, Under Secretary Hung Cao, who is more aligned with Mr. Hegseth, especially on some of the social and cultural battles that have defined the defense secretary’s tenure, the officials said.

A senior administration official said that Mr. Hegseth informed Mr. Phelan before the Pentagon’s official announcement that he and President Trump had decided that the Navy needed new leadership.

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A spokeswoman for Mr. Phelan referred all questions on Wednesday evening to the Defense Department.

Last fall, Mr. Hegseth fired Mr. Phelan’s chief of staff, Jon Harrison, who had clashed with senior officials throughout the Pentagon. The unusual move highlighted the broader tensions between Mr. Hegseth and Mr. Phelan.

Still, the timing of Mr. Phelan’s firing caught some Pentagon and congressional officials off guard. On Wednesday, Mr. Phelan was making the rounds on Capitol Hill, talking to senators about his upcoming annual hearing with lawmakers to discuss the Navy’s budget request and other priorities.

“Secretary Phelan’s abrupt dismissal is troubling,” Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, said in a statement Wednesday night. “In the midst of President Trump’s war of choice in Iran, at a moment when our naval forces are stretched thin across multiple theaters, this kind of disruption at the top sends the wrong signal to our sailors and Marines, to our allies, and to our adversaries.”

Mr. Phelan also had a close relationship with Mr. Trump. In December, Mr. Phelan appeared alongside Mr. Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort to announce the “Golden Fleet” and the new class of battleships bearing Mr. Trump’s name.

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“John Phelan is one of the most successful businessmen in the country — in our country,” Mr. Trump said. “He’s been a tremendous success.”

Before joining the Trump administration, Mr. Phelan ran a private investment fund based in Florida.

“He’s taken probably the largest salary cut in history, but he wanted to do it,” Mr. Trump said at the December press conference. “He wants to rebuild our Navy. And you needed that kind of a brain to do it properly.”

But Mr. Trump’s effusive praise masked deeper tensions with Mr. Phelan’s Pentagon bosses.

Bryan Clark, a naval analyst at the Hudson Institute, said that Mr. Phelan was “driving the Navy in a different direction” than what Mr. Hegseth and Mr. Feinberg wanted.

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“He was championing initiatives like the battleship and frigate that don’t align with where the D.O.W. leadership is taking the military, which is toward submarines, stealth aircraft, unmanned systems and software-driven capabilities like electronic warfare and cyber,” Mr. Clark said in an email, using the abbreviation for Department of War, as the administration calls the Defense Department.

Mr. Phelan also clashed with Mr. Hegseth over personnel issues in the Navy and Marine Corps, a former senior military official said. Mr. Hegseth has directed service secretaries to scrub the social media accounts of general- and admiral-level promotion candidates to ensure they are not deemed too “woke” by Mr. Hegseth’s standards, the official said.

Maggie Haberman and Eric Schmitt contributed reporting.

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Manhattan DA’s office employee charged with sexual abuse after alleged incident on Queens subway

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Manhattan DA’s office employee charged with sexual abuse after alleged incident on Queens subway

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

An analyst with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office was arrested Tuesday on allegations that he sexually abused a woman while off duty, police told Fox News Digital Wednesday. 

Tauhid Dewan, 28, is accused of inappropriately touching a 40-year-old woman’s private area during a late-afternoon rush-hour subway ride in Queens, according to local outlet PIX11. 

The victim was reportedly a random woman, the outlet added, citing sources who said she and the suspect were strangers. 

A spokeswoman for the office told Fox News Digital that the staffer has since been suspended.

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MAN ARRESTED IN NYC STRANGULATION DEATH OF WOMAN FOUND OUTSIDE TIMES SQUARE HOTEL

Tauhid Dewan, 28, was arrested in New York City Tuesday following allegations that the Manhattan DA staffer innapropriately touched a woman during a subway ride (LinkedIn)

According to the New York Police Department, Dewan was arrested around 5 p.m., possibly after returning from work.

PIX11 added that the arrest occurred minutes after the incident, which allegedly took place on a No. 7 train near the Junction Boulevard station.

He was subsequently arrested by the NYPD Transit Bureau and is facing multiple charges, including forcible touching on a bus or train, third-degree sexual abuse, and second-degree harassment involving physical contact.

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He was also charged with acting in a manner injurious to a child under the age of 17, suggesting a minor may have been nearby and either witnessed the alleged conduct or was placed at risk by it.

ERIC SWALWELL FACES MANHATTAN SEX ASSAULT PROBE AFTER ENDING CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR CAMPAIGN AMID ALLEGATIONS

Tauhid Dewan is an employee of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, which is led by DA Alvin Bragg. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Law enforcement sources said Dewan has no prior arrests, local outlets reported.

According to city records, Dewan has worked at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office as a senior investigative analyst for nearly four years, since July 10, 2022.

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People board a train at a subway station in New York City on Aug. 1, 2025. (Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)

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His arraignment in Queens Criminal Court was scheduled for Wednesday, according to state records. 

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As primary election nears, top candidates for California governor debate tonight

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As primary election nears, top candidates for California governor debate tonight

With the California governor’s race quickly approaching, six candidates will face off Wednesday evening in the first debate since former Rep. Eric Swalwell dropped out of the race in the aftermath of sexual assault and misconduct allegations.

The debate takes place at a critical moment in the turbulent contest to replace termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom. Ballots will start landing in Californians’ mailboxes in less than two weeks, and voters are split by a crowded field of eight prominent candidates. The debate also takes place after former state Controller Betty Yee ended her campaign because of a lack of resources and support in the polls.

Two Republicans — Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and conservative commentator Steve Hilton — and four Democrats — billionaire Tom Steyer, former Biden administration Secretary Xavier Becerra, former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan — will take the stage at Nexstar’s KRON4 studios in San Francisco. Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and state Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, both Democrats, were not invited to participate because of their low polling numbers.

As the candidates strive to distinguish themselves in a crowded field, the debate could include fiery exchanges about the role of money in politics and potential heightened attacks on Becerra, who has surged in the polls since Swalwell dropped out. With the debate taking place on Earth Day, environmental issues are also likely to be raised.

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The Wednesday night gathering is the first televised debate in the gubernatorial contest since early February. Last month, USC canceled a debate hours before it was set to begin over mounting criticism that its criteria excluded all major candidates of color.

The 7 p.m. debate is hosted by Nexstar and will be moderated by KTXL FOX40 anchor Nikki Laurenzo and KTLA anchor Frank Buckley. It can be viewed on KRON4 (San Francisco), KTLA5 (Los Angeles), KSWB/KUSI (San Diego), KTXL (Sacramento), KGET (Bakersfield) and KSEE (Fresno). NewsNation will also air the debate.

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