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Acting Navy Secretary
Hung Cao has become acting Navy secretary after President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth removed John Phelan from the post, with Cao taking over “on an acting basis” following the “sudden ouster” described by CNN.
CNN reports that Cao, a retired Navy captain and former Republican Senate candidate in Virginia, was supposed to have a broad portfolio as the service’s No. 2 civilian, but “Phelan put Cao ‘in a box’” and “Cao was isolated from Navy decision making.”
The CNN account says Cao learned about his promotion from the Pentagon front office, where someone told him, “Ok, you’re it — we made a change,” and added, “He’s quickly coming up to speed on all the things he wasn’t allowed to be involved in.”
The Hill frames the transition as happening “days after Phelan’s firing,” describing Cao’s Saturday vow to build ships after the ouster “this week” amid Trump’s push for accelerated shipbuilding.
In The Hill’s account, Cao posted a video to social media listing priorities for service members, beginning with taking “care of your needs and make sure you can do the mission,” then saying, “Second, is we’re going to build ships,” and adding, “We need the platforms we need in order to defend this country.”
The Hill also states that Phelan was ousted on Wednesday, “13 months into the role,” and that he became “the first service secretary to be removed during Trump’s second term.”
Shipbuilding Clash
The leadership change is tied in the sources to shipbuilding disputes and the pace of reforms under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, with CNN describing tensions between Phelan and Hegseth that “had stretched on for months.”
CNN says Hegseth believed Phelan was moving too slowly on implementing shipbuilding reforms and was also irked by Phelan’s direct communication with Trump, which Hegseth viewed as an attempt to bypass him.
The Hill likewise links Phelan’s firing to shipbuilding efforts, citing “a former U.S. official” who told The Hill on Thursday, “Phelan’s firing was related to shipbuilding efforts.”
The Hill reports that Phelan and Trump disagreed over “the development of the new Trump-class battleship,” and it says Trump in December announced the new battleship class as part of the U.S. Navy’s “Golden Fleet,” with the goal of having the ships built by 2028.
The Hill adds that “Experts arguethat this timeline would be unlikely given the billions of dollars and average time it takes to finish building new battleships,” while also quoting Trump’s explanation for the removal.
The Hill also quotes Phelan’s own Tuesday statement that “everything’s on the table,” including the possibility of building new ships outside of the country, saying, “We just need to look at it, understand it, understand the implications behind it and decide if we think that makes sense or not.”
Controversies and Culture War
Beyond shipbuilding, the sources emphasize Cao’s prior statements about recruiting and culture issues, which CNN says he championed during his 2024 campaign against Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine.
“Trump’s newly appointed Navy Secretary is raising eyebrows over his concerns that witches in California could spell double double toil and trouble”
CNN quotes Cao’s 2024 debate remark about Navy recruiting, saying, “When you’re using a drag queen to recruit for the Navy, that’s not the people we want,” and then adding, “What we need is alpha males and alpha females who are going to rip out their own guts, eat ’em and ask for seconds. Those are young men and women that are going to win wars.”
TheWrap and Advocate both highlight the same recruiting comments through entertainment and culture-war framing, with TheWrap reporting that “The Daily Show” host Michael Kosta asked, “Why Is Everyone They Appoint So F--king Crazy?” and then calling out Cao’s “past anti-Wiccan commentary.”
TheWrap says Kosta referenced footage of Cao’s former remarks about witches and then connected that to Cao’s drag-queen criticism, quoting Cao’s line that “When you’re using a drag queen to recruit for the Navy, that’s not the people we want,” and then adding Cao’s “alpha males and alpha females” quote.
Advocate similarly says Cao is “raising eyebrows” over concerns about witches and drag queens, and it quotes Cao’s 2023 interview claim that “We can’t let it turn like this,” while describing his statement about Lovers Point in Monterey, California.
In the CNN account, Cao’s background includes immigration to the U.S. after his family fled Vietnam during the Vietnam War, and CNN says he immigrated to the US as a child after his family fled Vietnam during the Vietnam War and later returned to Virginia when he was 12.
Witches, Drag, and Public Response
The sources portray Cao’s appointment as immediately generating public reaction centered on witches, drag queens, and the language he used in earlier remarks.
TheWrap says “The Daily Show” sounded off on Cao stepping in as acting navy secretary after John Phelan’s exit, with host Michael Kosta quipping that Trump still didn’t hire “someone normal.”
TheWrap’s account quotes Kosta’s line after airing footage of Cao’s former remarks about witches: “What the f–k are you talking about? I mean, why is everybody they appoint so f–king crazy?”
Advocate similarly frames the appointment as raising eyebrows, saying Cao “seems very afraid of witches and drag queens,” and it describes his claim that witches had “taken over” a city in California.
CNN, meanwhile, provides a different kind of reaction by quoting a Pentagon spokesman, Sean Parnell, who said Cao “brings battle-tested leadership to the Navy’s highest office” and that he “embodies the relentless grit and America First vision required to maintain America’s maritime superiority.”
Taken together, the sources show the appointment being contested not only on shipbuilding priorities but also on the cultural and rhetorical themes Cao has used in public life.
What Comes Next
The sources depict Cao’s immediate mandate as continuing shipbuilding acceleration while also navigating whether he will be permanently nominated, and they place his tenure within a broader personnel shake-up described by The Hill.
CNN says it is “unclear whether Cao will be nominated to take over as Navy secretary permanently,” even as it reports that he is acting in the role now.
CNN also says Cao’s statement after his appointment focused on shipbuilding priorities, quoting him: “I remain fully committed to accomplishing the core mission of the Department of the Navy as a premier warfighting organization and providing unwavering support to our warriors downrange.”
The Hill adds that Phelan’s firing came “amid President Trump’s push for accelerated shipbuilding,” and it states that “Over 30 senior military officers have been pushed out of their roles under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.”
The Hill’s framing makes the shipbuilding timeline a central pressure point, because it reports Trump’s “Golden Fleet” goal of having the ships built by 2028 and notes that “Experts arguethat this timeline would be unlikely.”
CNN also situates Cao’s role in operational context, saying the Navy is “playing a critical role in stopping Iranian ships from traversing the Strait of Hormuz.”
