President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he is nominating acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao for the permanent role, according to a Truth Social post cited by multiple outlets.
"I am pleased to nominate a true WARRIOR, Hung Cao, to become the next Secretary of the Navy," Trump wrote, adding that "We need Patriots like Hung leading our Navy and Marine Corps, and I can think of no one better than him to make sure our Great Navy and Marine Corps remain the FIERCEST and BEST Force the World has ever seen." Trump also urged the Senate to confirm Cao quickly, per the Washington Examiner.
Cao, a retired Navy captain, has been serving as acting Navy secretary since John Phelan departed the job unexpectedly and without explanation in late April. He spent 25 years in the Navy as a special operations officer, going on to serve with SEAL teams and special forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.
According to Wikipedia, Cao was born in 1971 in Saigon, South Vietnam, and had earlier been nominated by Trump to the position of United States under secretary of the Navy, a post he was confirmed to and sworn into on October 3, 2025.
Responding on social media, Cao called it the "honor of a lifetime to lead the great warriors of the Navy and Marine Corps team."
The AP reports the nomination comes amid strain in Navy operations and turnover at the top of the military: some, including Democrats in Congress, believe Trump has been overtaxing the Navy, and the nomination also comes at a time of upheaval in the top ranks of the U.S. military, with Army Secretary Dan Driscoll having submitted his resignation this week amid reported tension with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The nomination now goes to the Senate for confirmation.