Ousted Navy Chief of Staff Jon Harrison wasn’t arrested for treason

In October 2025, after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired Navy Chief of Staff John Harrison, a rumor spread online that authorities arrested the former top Navy official on suspicion of treason.

For example, a user on X posted the claim:

US Navy JAG investigators on Friday arrested a high-ranking Naval officer at his luxurious home near the Washington Naval Yard hours after War Secretary Pete Hegseth fired him for incompetence, Real Raw News has learned.

Some readers seemed to interpret the rumor as a factual recounting of real-life events. 

Instead, the rumor about Harrison’s supposed detention originated with Real Raw News — a website that describes its output as being humorous or satirical in nature. Its About page states: 

Information on this website is for informational and educational and entertainment purposes. This website contains humor, parody, and satire. We have included this disclaimer for our protection, on the advice on legal counsel.

The fictional story spread after Politico reported Hegseth sacked Harrison, an appointee of President Donald Trump who assumed the position in January 2025, in an effort to reshape the Department of Defense. 

The firing came after the confirmation of Hung Cao as Navy undersecretary. Cao is a Navy veteran who ran an unsuccessful campaign for the U.S. Senate in Virginia as a Republican in 2024. 

As chief of staff, Harrison had reportedly sought to limit the power of the undersecretary on behalf of Navy Secretary John Phelan.

Snopes has debunked many stories by Real Raw News over the years, including the May 2025 claim that a former Air Force general was sentenced to hang to death following a treason conviction.

For background, here is why we alert readers to rumors created by sources that call their output humorous or satirical.