A cynical person might even think the current administration found a convenient excuse to get rid of a nuclear sub.
They’re coming with some pretty creative excuses to get rid of a lot of senior Nuclear Missile Officers, so that would be right-in-keeping with them ....
I'm not surprised at all. Besides the expense of the repairs, the hull steel had to have been compromised by the exposure to that much heat for hours and hours. Or who wants to take her out and dive to 1000 feet and make sure it wasn't?