Trump Nominates Hung Cao as Permanent Navy Secretary

The U.S. Navy faces sustained operational demands from the Iran conflict while its top civilian leadership continues to shift. President Trump on Tuesday nominated acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao to the permanent post, four months after John Phelan left the role without public explanation.

Cao, a 25-year Navy veteran who served as a special operations officer with SEAL teams in Iraq and Afghanistan, has held the acting position since late April. Trump posted on social media that he was pleased to nominate “a true WARRIOR” and urged the Senate to confirm “this Warfighter, ASAP.” Cao replied that the nomination was the “honor of a lifetime to lead the great warriors of the Navy and Marine Corps team.”

The USS Abraham Lincoln completed a nine-month deployment supporting operations against Iran, the longest continuous period at sea recorded for a carrier in recent years. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Ruben Gallego have cited reports of crew fatigue, mental-health strain, and supply shortages and called for Pentagon accountability. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards announced strikes on U.S. bases in Jordan, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Iraq’s Kurdistan region, the heaviest exchange in weeks.

Cao’s nomination occurs against broader Pentagon turnover. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned this week after reported clashes with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Cao previously served as Navy undersecretary and supported service members who declined the COVID-19 vaccine mandate during the prior administration. He also drew attention in July when the Blue Angels flew low over a Florida beach, scattering chairs and tents.

If confirmed, Cao would oversee Navy recruiting, shipbuilding, maintenance, and mobilization. Senator Rick Scott welcomed the choice, stating Cao would support sailors and Marines. The Senate must still act on the nomination.