<p>President Donald Trump on Tuesday nominated Hung Cao to permanently take on the role of Navy secretary after holding the position in an acting capacity since April.</p>
<p>Trump stated on Truth Social, “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.”</p>
<p>The president also urged the Senate to confirm Cao for the position, “so he can continue the fantastic work he has been doing over the past 4 months.”</p>
<p>A retired Navy captain and special operations veteran, Cao brings 25 years of service to the role. He took over for former Navy Secretary John Phelan, who left the administration shortly after the Iran war began. Cao had served as Navy undersecretary under Phelan.</p>
<p>When appointed to fill Phelan’s role, Cao vowed to fulfill Trump’s desire to ramp up shipbuilding, something Phelan struggled to do. If approved by the Senate, Cao will have more capacity to make good on his promise.</p>
<p>Cao’s nomination comes one day after Army Secretary Dan Driscoll submitted his resignation after disagreements with War Secretary Pete Hegseth.</p>
<p>Driscoll’s departure followed his public split with Hegseth’s move to force Gen. Randy George, the ousted Army chief of staff, into retirement in April. At the time, Driscoll said he “loved” the general. Driscoll was also a college friend of Vice President JD Vance.</p>
<p>With his nomination now awaiting Senate approval, Cao steps into the role as the war with Iran has reignited as Washington and Tehran trade military strikes yet again.</p>
<p>The conflict has resulted in reports from the Navy, as sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln have reported dire conditions amid an extended deployment in the Middle East. The USS George Washington has since replaced the Abraham Lincoln.</p>
<p>Before joining the administration, Cao ran two unsuccessful congressional campaigns in Virginia. He was the Republican nominee for Virginia’s 10th Congressional District in 2022 and the GOP nominee challenging incumbent Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) in the 2024 Virginia Senate election.</p>