Sr US official tells me there were "robust" discussions about the "desire and speed" at which acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly wanted to remove Capt Brett Crozier, who sounded alarm bells about the rate of spread of COVID-19 onboard his aircraft carrier, USS Roosevelt.

Both DoD and White House officials told the acting Navy Secretary he was "going to own it," if he decided to move forward with the hasty announcement and last minute press conference yesterday at 5 pm Eastern here at the Pentagon.