Who Is Hung Cao? Trump Picks Navy Veteran as Next Secretary of the Navy
President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he is nominating Hung Cao, the acting Secretary of the Navy, to hold the position permanently, elevating a retired Navy captain who has led the department since the spring.
Trump made the announcement in a social media post, calling Cao a “true WARRIOR” and saying the country needs “Patriots” like him leading the Navy and Marine Corps. He urged the Senate to confirm Cao quickly, citing the work Cao has already done over the past four months as acting secretary.
Cao responded with a statement thanking Trump for the nomination, saying it was an honor to lead the Navy and Marine Corps team and pledging to continue work on shipbuilding and homeland defense.
Who Is Hung Cao?
Cao, 54, was born in Saigon and came to the United States as a refugee in 1975. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy and later earned a master’s degree from the Naval Postgraduate School. Over a 25-year Navy career, Cao served as a diver and explosive ordnance disposal officer, deploying to combat zones including Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia. He retired as a captain in 2021.
Before joining the administration, Cao ran twice for federal office in Virginia, losing a congressional bid and then a 2024 U.S. Senate race. During that campaign, he criticized a Navy recruiting initiative featuring a drag performer and argued the military needed “alpha males and alpha females.” He has also spoken out against diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the armed forces, a position that aligns with the administration’s broader push to roll back such initiatives across the military.
Trump nominated Cao to serve as Under Secretary of the Navy, and he was sworn into that role on October 3, 2025. He became acting secretary on April 22, 2026, after Trump removed then-Secretary John Phelan amid tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over shipbuilding priorities, including the future of a planned Trump-class battleship.
The nomination comes as the Pentagon’s civilian leadership continues to shift under Hegseth. Trump accepted the resignation of Army Secretary Dan Driscoll just one day before announcing Cao’s nomination, marking another change atop a military branch in recent months.
If confirmed, Cao would take permanent charge of a department responsible for recruiting, training and equipping sailors and Marines, along with overseeing the construction, outfitting and repair of naval ships and facilities. The role carries significant weight as the Navy works to expand shipbuilding capacity and modernize its fleet amid heightened attention to maritime threats, including tensions in the Middle East.
Cao’s biography, as a Vietnamese refugee who rose to a senior Pentagon post, also gives the administration a prominent example of its immigration and military priorities intersecting. His record of statements on cultural and social issues within the military is likely to draw scrutiny during his confirmation process.
Cao’s nomination now heads to the Senate, where lawmakers must vote to confirm him for the permanent post. Trump has pushed for a swift confirmation, and Republican senators, including Rick Scott of Florida, have already voiced support. Because Cao previously won Senate confirmation for the undersecretary role less than a year ago, his path to confirmation as secretary may move relatively quickly, though the timeline ultimately depends on the Senate’s schedule and any questions raised during hearings.
Until confirmed, Cao will continue serving in an acting capacity, a role he has held since April. His confirmation would make him the second Senate-confirmed Navy secretary of Trump’s current term, following Phelan’s departure after roughly 13 months in the position.
