The name of John Phelan, the 79th Secretary of the Navy, has surfaced on the passenger manifest of Jeffrey Epstein's private plane, indicating he was aboard a flight from London to New York on March 3, 2006. The document was part of a recent release of material related to Epstein by the House Oversight Committee and has raised eyebrows given Epstein's notorious history as a convicted sex offender.

A close associate of Phelan confirmed to CNN that he flew on Epstein's plane but noted that it was only due to an invitation from James Cayne, then-CEO of Bear Stearns. The friend remarked that Phelan was unaware of the plane's ownership and had no further contact with Epstein thereafter. Furthermore, there are no indications that Phelan had any knowledge of Epstein's illicit activities during the flight.

The flight manifest showed Phelan traveling alongside 12 other passengers, including Jean-Luc Brunel, a French modeling agent and Epstein associate who faced charges for sexual misconduct and later died in custody. Of the other names on the manifest, six were redacted, underscoring the sensitive nature of the information being handled.

Phelan, a businessman without prior military experience, was nominated by Donald Trump in November 2024 for his current position and was confirmed as Navy Secretary in March 2025. Since then, he has been involved in various fundraising efforts for Trump’s campaign and is recognized for his sizable art collection.

Amid recent scrutiny, Phelan has not commented on the situation through an official Navy spokesperson. As investigations surrounding Epstein continue, the connections of individuals like Phelan are under heightened public interest, highlighting the broader implications of Epstein’s activities.

The presence of Phelan on Epstein’s flight adds another layer to the ongoing discourse on accountability and awareness surrounding Epstein’s extensive network, as more documents related to the case are unveiled.