President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday night, Sept. 1, 2026, his nomination of Hung Cao to serve as the U.S. secretary of the Navy. Cao has served as the acting Navy secretary since April 22, 2026, following the departure of John C. Phelan. The nomination, announced via Truth Social, requires confirmation by the U.S. Senate.
The transition follows reports that Phelan was asked to leave after a meeting between the president and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth regarding the pace of naval shipbuilding. Prior to becoming acting secretary, Cao served as the 35th U.S. under secretary of the Navy, a position he assumed on Oct. 3, 2025, after a party-line Senate confirmation vote. Cao is a retired Navy captain who served more than 30 years on active duty with deployments in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia.
During his tenure as acting secretary, Cao has managed the Navy's involvement in a conflict with Iran that is now in its eighth month. He also oversaw the return of the USS Abraham Lincoln following reports of moldy showers and poor food conditions on the vessel. In a social media post, Cao thanked the president for the nomination and stated his priorities include shipbuilding, homeland defense, and supporting sailors and Marines.
The appointment carries implications for the U.S. shipbuilding industry and related contractors. President Trump has expressed a goal of expanding the fleet to at least 350 ships. Industry officials and lawmakers, including Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), have identified the pace of domestic shipbuilding as a critical concern for national security. A permanent secretary oversees these contracts and the maintenance schedules for vessels returning from combat zones, which affects thousands of civilian jobs in domestic ports and engineering firms.
The confirmation process will test the current political alignment in the Senate. Cao, who previously ran for the U.S. Senate in Virginia as a Republican in 2024, has faced criticism from Democrats such as Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) and Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-Va.) over his past political rhetoric and temperament. However, he has received support from Republicans like Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.), who cite his military background. If confirmed, Cao would be the permanent civilian head of the Navy; until then, he continues to lead the service in an acting capacity. No date has yet been set for his Senate confirmation hearing.