US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he will nominate acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao to serve permanently in the role, putting forward the retired Navy captain and former special operations officer to serve as the civilian head of the Department of the Navy.
Cao has served as acting Navy secretary since John Phelan unexpectedly left the post in late April. His nomination requires confirmation by the US Senate.
“I am pleased to nominate a true WARRIOR,” Trump said in a social media post, urging the Senate to confirm Cao “ASAP”.
Cao, who previously served as Navy undersecretary, called the nomination the “honor of a lifetime” and said he was ready to lead the Navy and Marine Corps team.
Hung Cao's Navy background
Cao spent 25 years in the US Navy, including as a special operations officer and with SEAL teams and special forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. He retired as a Navy captain.
He later entered politics, unsuccessfully running as a Republican for a House seat in Virginia in 2022 and for the US Senate in 2024.
Cao returned to the Pentagon under Trump and served as Navy undersecretary before becoming acting secretary. He has also supported efforts to restore military personnel who were separated from service for refusing the Biden administration's COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
Navy faces scrutiny over Iran deployment
Cao's nomination comes as the Navy faces scrutiny over the strain on sailors deployed in support of US military operations during the Iran war.
The USS Abraham Lincoln has been deployed for nine months, including a record-setting period at sea without interruption.
Reports of deteriorating mental health among crew members and shortages of food and hygiene supplies have raised concerns about conditions aboard the aircraft carrier. Democratic lawmakers, including Senators Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Ruben Gallego of Arizona, have called for greater accountability from the Pentagon.
Cao and other officials met with families of USS Abraham Lincoln crew members in August to hear concerns about the sailors' well-being and conditions aboard the carrier.
Pentagon leadership faces upheaval
Cao's nomination also comes amid changes in the senior ranks of the US military and Pentagon.
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll submitted his resignation this week after months of reported disagreements with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over senior officer dismissals and the Army's priorities.
Phelan reportedly left the Navy secretary's post amid friction with senior officials, including Hegseth, over a proposed new battleship programme he had championed.
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