Conservatives love this new decision.
President Donald Trump has tapped a decorated Navy combat veteran for one of the most important military leadership positions in the country.
Trump announced Tuesday that he is nominating Hung Cao to become Secretary of the Navy, moving to make permanent a leadership role Cao has already held on an acting basis for roughly four months.
The selection puts a veteran with approximately 25 years of military service in line to oversee the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps at a critical time for American shipbuilding, military readiness and national defense.
Trump praised Cao’s record while calling on the Senate to move quickly on his confirmation.
Trump Chooses Hung Cao for Navy Secretary
Announcing his decision on Truth Social, Trump described Cao as a “true WARRIOR” and made clear that he believes the retired Navy captain has the experience necessary to lead America’s naval forces.
The president said the country needs patriotic leaders overseeing the Navy and Marine Corps and argued that Cao is well suited to keeping both services among the strongest fighting forces in the world.
Trump also urged senators to approve the nomination without unnecessary delay.
“The Senate needs to confirm this Warfighter, ASAP,” Trump wrote, pointing to the work Cao has already performed during his months as acting secretary.
Cao has served as Acting Secretary of the Navy since April 22, 2026, after previously serving as Under Secretary of the Navy.
His nomination now puts the Senate in position to decide whether he will permanently assume the department’s top civilian leadership position.
Navy Veteran Brings Decades of Experience
Cao’s extensive military background could distinguish him from many political appointees in Washington.
He first entered the Navy in 1989 and later attended the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1996.
Cao went on to build a lengthy career in Navy special operations.
His military experience included serving as a Navy diver and explosive ordnance disposal officer, along with multiple overseas deployments.
Cao served in Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia and worked alongside special warfare and special operations forces during his career.
He eventually retired from the Navy in 2021 with the rank of captain.
That record means the man Trump wants overseeing the Navy has firsthand experience with the demands placed on American service members at home and abroad.
Shipbuilding Takes Center Stage
One of the biggest challenges facing the next Navy secretary will be the future of the American fleet.
The Trump administration has made rebuilding U.S. shipbuilding capacity a major national security priority.
The White House recently outlined additional measures aimed at addressing delays, rising costs and production problems affecting Navy shipbuilding programs while increasing competition and capacity within America’s maritime industrial base.
For Cao, that means the job extends well beyond overseeing current military operations.
The next Navy secretary will also have an important role in determining how quickly America can build and modernize the ships needed to maintain U.S. maritime power.
Cao has already identified shipbuilding and homeland defense as major priorities.
After Trump announced the nomination, Cao thanked the president and said it was an extraordinary honor to lead the men and women of the Navy and Marine Corps.
He also indicated that his team would continue pushing ahead with efforts to improve shipbuilding while strengthening America’s defenses.
Why America’s Navy Matters
The Navy plays a central role in protecting U.S. interests around the world, maintaining freedom of navigation and giving the United States the ability to project military power far beyond its shores.
The Department of the Navy also includes the United States Marine Corps, placing enormous responsibility in the hands of whoever serves as secretary.
At the same time, America’s shipbuilding industry faces significant challenges involving production capacity, costs and delays.
Trump has made rebuilding that industrial base part of his broader defense agenda.
The White House has argued that strengthening domestic maritime manufacturing is important not only for military readiness but also for America’s economic and national security.
That puts shipbuilding squarely at the center of the responsibilities Cao could inherit permanently if the Senate approves his nomination.
Cao Previously Entered Virginia Politics
After leaving active military service, Cao became involved in Republican politics.
He ran for a Virginia congressional seat in 2022 before challenging Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine in Virginia’s 2024 U.S. Senate election.
Trump backed Cao during the Senate campaign and highlighted the Republican candidate’s extensive military background.
Cao ultimately lost that election, but he later joined the Trump administration.
He was confirmed as Under Secretary of the Navy in 2025 before becoming acting secretary in April 2026.
Now Trump wants him permanently installed at the top of the department.
Senate Will Decide Cao’s Nomination
The next major step will come in the United States Senate, where Cao must be confirmed before formally becoming Secretary of the Navy.
If approved, he would take permanent responsibility for a massive military organization encompassing both the Navy and Marine Corps.
His responsibilities would include some of the most consequential national security issues facing Washington, including fleet readiness, Navy modernization, military shipbuilding, personnel and homeland defense.
Trump has made his preference clear: He wants the Senate to move quickly.
For Cao, confirmation would represent the latest chapter in an American career that has already taken him from enlisted Navy service and the Naval Academy to special operations, overseas combat deployments, electoral politics and senior leadership at the Pentagon.
Now, after approximately four months serving as acting secretary, the 25-year Navy veteran could soon receive the opportunity to lead the department permanently.
With the Trump administration pushing to rebuild America’s maritime strength and expand the country’s shipbuilding capabilities, Cao could find himself at the center of a major effort to shape the future of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.
