U.S. President Donald Trump has nominated Hung Cao to serve as the next Secretary of the U.S. Navy, seeking to make his current acting Navy secretary permanent as his administration faces significant military and leadership challenges.

Trump announced the nomination on Tuesday and urged the U.S. Senate to move quickly on Cao’s confirmation. Cao, a retired Navy captain and combat veteran, has served as acting Navy secretary since April, following the departure of John Phelan.

Cao brings extensive military experience to the position, having spent about 25 years in the U.S. Navy, including service with special operations and SEAL teams and deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Before becoming acting secretary, he served as undersecretary of the Navy, where he was involved in managing and modernizing Navy information-technology and defence business systems.

His nomination comes at a particularly sensitive moment for the U.S. military. The Navy is supporting ongoing American military operations in the Middle East, while the Pentagon is also dealing with a wider leadership shake-up under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The recent resignation of Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has added to concerns over senior-level stability across the armed forces.

The Navy secretary oversees the Department of the Navy, including the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, and plays a key civilian leadership role in issues ranging from shipbuilding and military readiness to personnel and modernization.

Cao’s nomination now moves to the Senate, where lawmakers will decide whether to confirm him. His confirmation would give the Navy permanent civilian leadership at a time when Washington is under pressure to maintain military readiness while addressing operational demands and internal changes across the Pentagon.

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