Trump Taps Combat Veteran Hung Cao to Lead Navy Permanently
President Trump nominates acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao for the permanent role, citing his combat record as sailors face strain during the Iran war.
President Donald Trump has announced his intention to nominate Hung Cao, the acting Navy Secretary, for the permanent position. The announcement, made on Tuesday, elevates a 25-year Navy veteran who previously served as a special operations officer with SEAL teams in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Cao has been in the acting role since late April, following the abrupt and unexplained departure of John Phelan, who lacked prior military or civilian leadership experience in the service. In a social media post, Trump described Cao as a "true WARRIOR" and urged the Senate to confirm him quickly. Cao responded by calling the nomination the "honor of a lifetime."
The nomination arrives as concerns mount over the strain on naval forces, particularly the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been on a nine-month deployment supporting the Iran war. Reports of deteriorating crew mental health and shortages of food and hygiene supplies have prompted Democratic lawmakers, including Senators Richard Blumenthal and Ruben Gallego, to demand accountability from the Pentagon.
Cao, who previously served as Navy undersecretary, has been a vocal Trump loyalist. He supported returning service members to duty who refused a Biden-era COVID-19 vaccine mandate and defended the Blue Angels' low-altitude flyover of a Florida beach in July.
The move comes amid broader upheaval in the military's top ranks, with Army Secretary Dan Driscoll having resigned this week following reported tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.