Pentagon head pressured to reinstate captain of virus-hit carrier

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper was reviewing on Friday the results of an investigation into a major Covid-19 outbreak on an aircraft carrier, as pressure built to reinstate the warship's fired captain.

Esper has received a verbal update on the investigation into the outbreak on the USS Theodor Roosevelt from the Navy's top officials, and was awaiting a written report before he makes any decision, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said.

But news reports said Acting Navy Secretary James McPherson and Chief of Naval operations Admiral Michael Gilday had recommended that Brett Crozier, who was removed for publicly sounding the alarm over the outbreak, be reinstated.

And pressure built from members of Congress to restore Crozier back to the Roosevelt.