The United States (US) Navy has relieved the commanding officer of its guided-missile destroyer, the USS Truxtun, after it collided with an oiler during a refueling operation on February 11, 2026.
In a statement issued on February 22, 2026, the Navy said, “Cmdr. James Koffi was removed from command of USS Truxtun (DDG-103) by U.S. 4th Fleet Commander Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello.”
Cmdr. Koffi was temporarily assigned Commander, Naval Surface Group Middle East and Cmdr. Taylor Auclair was put in command of the warship.
The Navy said, “The Navy maintains the highest standards for leaders and holds them accountable when those standards are not met.”
A loud crash was heard in footage of the collision, followed by crew members shouting: “We’ve been hit.”
Both ships were forced to return to port in Ponce, Puerto Rico, after the collision. Navy officials said two sailors suffered minor injuries.
Koffi served on the vessel for almost a year. He assumed command of the Truxtun as the warship’s 13th Commanding Officer on 9 January 2025.
He was deployed to the Caribbean as part of the Trump administration’s military build-up against Venezuela and drug trafficking.
Koffi said at the time: “Our presence at sea will not simply be a deployment, but a decisive application of peace through strength.”
