Hung Cao Named Acting Navy Secretary In Pentagon Shake-Up
Hung Cao has been named acting secretary of the Navy following the departure of John Phelan, a sudden leadership change that places a former political candidate and retired military officer at the top of the service’s civilian leadership.
Multiple outlets, including WJLA, 13News Now, and USNI News, reported that Cao will serve as acting Navy secretary after Phelan left the Trump administration. The Navy secretary oversees the Department of the Navy, which includes both the Navy and the Marine Corps, and is responsible for major decisions spanning budgets, readiness, acquisitions, personnel policy, and overall civilian direction of the sea services.
Cao’s appointment immediately drew national attention because of his past public statements and the scrutiny that comes with leading one of the Pentagon’s largest departments, even in an acting capacity. CNN reported that Cao previously said the military should be filled with “alpha males and alpha females.” Other coverage has focused on prior comments about the Naval Postgraduate School’s location in Monterey, California. KSBW reported that Cao described Monterey as a “really dark place” and referenced “a lot of witchcraft.” Mississippi News Now also noted that his record has raised questions, including his concerns about “witchcraft.”
Cao has also been the subject of broader profile stories that framed his background and rise in politics and national security circles. The Guardian described him as a former refugee who is now serving as the acting Navy secretary. Politico reported that the acting secretary, once seen as a political lightning rod, has found surprising support, underscoring that reactions to his leadership are not uniform.
The change at the top of the Navy’s civilian leadership matters because the department is responsible for managing global maritime operations and the long-term modernization of ships, submarines, aircraft, and weapons systems, while also overseeing service member readiness and quality-of-life issues. An acting secretary can play a pivotal role in setting priorities, approving key policy decisions, and representing the sea services across the administration and with Congress.
The departure of a sitting service secretary and the installation of an acting replacement can also affect continuity for pending initiatives and near-term decisions, particularly those tied to budgets, contracting, and program oversight. The Navy secretary’s office is central to navigating competing demands across the fleet and Marine Corps, and the leader’s public profile can influence how those priorities are received beyond the Pentagon.
What happens next will depend on the administration’s plans for permanent leadership of the department and how long Cao remains in the acting role. In the meantime, Cao is expected to assume the responsibilities of the office, engage with senior uniformed leaders, and represent the Department of the Navy in discussions that typically involve the White House, the Defense Department, and lawmakers.
For the Navy and Marine Corps, the immediate reality is clear: the department has a new acting civilian leader, and the direction he sets in the coming weeks will be closely watched.
