Trump Nominates Decorated Combat Vet Hung Cao as Next Navy Secretary

President Donald Trump has nominated Hung Cao to serve as Secretary of the Navy. In a post on his social media platform, TRUTH Social, Trump praised Cao's background and experience.

Cao is a decorated combat veteran who has been serving as the civilian head of the Navy since Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired his predecessor. He was a fellow with MIT Seminar XXI and Harvard Kennedy School, and graduated from the Naval Academy.

Cao's nomination comes after he ran for the Senate in Virginia in 2024 but lost to Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine. Cao's campaign ad highlighted his background as an immigrant who came to the US from Vietnam in the 1970s to escape communism.