Jon Harrison was relieved of his duties as Chief of Staff to the Secretary of the Navy by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on October 3, 2025. Under the Trump administration, the action represents yet another high-profile shift in Pentagon leadership.
Key Takeaways
- Jon Harrison, appointed in January 2025, was dismissed by Defense Secretary Hegseth.
- Harrison worked closely with Navy Secretary John Phelan on budget and policy changes.
- Tensions reportedly emerged over limiting the role of Undersecretary Hung Cao, a Trump appointee and Navy veteran.
- The Pentagon gave no detailed explanation but confirmed Harrison’s departure.
- The decision reflects Hegseth’s broader efforts to consolidate control and reshape Pentagon leadership.
The Arrest And Conflicting Accounts
The video footage shows Sortor filming as he was attacked and pushed against the flower beds and hit. He claims he tried to fight back but then disengaged and sought security with the police. In lieu of security the police offered, he was detained without knowing the charges in that moment which he says violated his rights.
The Portland Police Bureau (PPB) stated that arrests were based by reason of behavior observed as well as probable causes, and not on the basis of political affiliation. According to the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office will decide the what charges will be brought against them. Two other women, Son Mimi Yi and Angela Davis, were also detained. Davis was still in custody until the 3rd of October.
Context Of Unrest
There is a Portland ICE facility is a popular place for protests since the middle of 2025, frequently associated with opposition to the immigration policy of President Trump. In the evening before the arrest of Sortor, the journalist Katie Daviscourt of The Post Millennial was attacked by a protester, but there were no arrests made in the case.
Sortor was also able to stop protesters from burning the American flag earlier during the week. People who supported the protest praised the move however it could be a source of further animosity towards the man. These incidents highlight the unstable environment in Portland where clashes between protesters, federal authorities journalists, and federal authorities are common.
Federal And Political Fallout
The arrest led to a fervent federal response from the federal government. attorney general Pam Bondi ordered a DOJ investigation to determine if Portland police were involved with “viewpoint discrimination.” Assistant AG Harmeet Dhillon requested pertinent documents on Oct. 10.
The White House, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt declared she was aware that President Trump is considering cuts to Portland’s federal aid, in reference to the failure to curb “anarchy.” The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also confirmed a larger presence of the federal government as well, and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem saying that similar incidents are not allowed to occur again.
Reactions On X
Online, the public’s sentiment is starkly divided however, the majority of users 80-90 percent of the active users are in favor of Sortor. Hashtags such as #FreeNickSortor and #NickSortorArrest were popular. The people who supported him, such as DC Draino, Andy Ngo, Rudy Giuliani along with Gunther Eagleman said he was an uncompromising journalist who exposed Antifa and police-related bias.
Some critics dismissed him as an “MAGA propagandist” or “crisis actor,” and accused of provoking the crisis to get attention. There were rumors of misconduct that surfaced in the past, but are not confirmed. The posts of Sortor’s personal account linked his arrest to cuts to federal aid One post gained over 110,000 fans and boosting his popularity.
Wider Implications
The arrest has raised questions about the freedom of press, bias in law enforcement as well as the power balance between local and federal authorities. For conservatives the arrest is a case of political tampering. For critics, it is the risks of media figures that fuel confrontations.
The DOJ investigation and the possibility of cuts to Portland’s assistance place additional pressure on the city’s leaders. With Sortor remaining at Portland for the duration of his reporting this incident will likely remain in the forefront of debates in the media and political arenas over the coming weeks.
