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The Duffel Brief · the free edition, Monday, Wednesday and Friday

Vol. 15 · No. 115 · Friday, 25 September 2026

Army

Mitch McConnell returns from extended drill weekend

Staff says senator’s three-month absence was “routine National Guard obligation”

Trump considers replacing Hegseth with rock or something

Army adopts ‘Your body, my choice’ as new recruiting slogan

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Vol. 15 · No. 115

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Vol. 15 · No. 115 · Deployed worldwide

Friday

25 September 2026

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Navy & Marines · Page 5

Ray Mabus admits that he just hates the Navy

Filed · 1537

THE PENTAGON — Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus admitted to reporters last week that the reason he’s made so many unpopular changes is because he “just hates the Navy.”

The remarks came during a press conference in which Mabus was defending his decision to name the newest Arleigh Burke-Class guided missile destroyer after retired Sen. Carl Levin, who has never served in the US military.

“Carl has given us years of dedicated work on the Armed Forces Committee. This ship will honor that legacy,” Mabus replied to a question about why the vessel wasn’t named after an actual sailor. When the reporter followed up and asked why Mabus has shown a controversial pattern of naming ships after non-military personnel, he started to laugh.

“You know what? I’m not going to play this game anymore,” he said. “I just really fucking hate the Navy! There, I said it.”

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