President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he is nominating acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao to permanently lead the service, calling the former Navy special operations officer a "true WARRIOR" and urging the Senate to quickly confirm him.Cao has served as acting secretary for the past four months, overseeing the Navy and Marine Corps as the Trump administration pushes to expand U.S.shipbuilding and strengthen the military’s maritime capabilities."I am pleased to nominate a true WARRIOR, Hung Cao, to become the next Secretary of the Navy," Trump wrote on Truth Social."We need Patriots like Hung leading our Navy and Marine Corps, and I can think of no one better than him to make sure our Great Navy and Marine Corps remain the FIERCEST and BEST Force the World has ever seen," the president continued.TRUMP PRAISES OUSTED NAVY SECRETARY PHELAN AMID TENSIONS WITH PENTAGON LEADERSHIPActing Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao testifies during the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing titled "The Posture of the Department of the Navy in review of the Defense Authorization Request for FY2027 and the Future Years Defense Program," in the Dirksen building on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.
(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)Trump called on the Senate to move quickly on the nomination, pointing to Cao’s tenure already leading the department.SENATE REPUBLICANS CONFIRM NEARLY 50 OF TRUMP'S PICKS FOR ENERGY, LAND MANAGEMENT"The Senate needs to confirm this Warfighter, ASAP, so he can continue the fantastic work he has been doing over the past 4 months," Trump wrote.Cao thanked Trump shortly after the announcement and said his priorities would continue to include shipbuilding and homeland defense.AS CHINA TENSIONS LOOM, US TEMPORARILY PAUSES TAIWAN WEAPONS SALES DUE TO IRAN WAR, ACTING NAVY SECRETARY SAYSPresident Trump praised Hung Cao as a "true WARRIOR" and urged the Senate to quickly confirm him as Navy secretary, saying Cao is the best person to lead the Navy and Marin...