Hung Cao, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate who ran for Virginia congressional seats in the House and Senate, will now serve in the Navy’s second-highest civilian position after the Senate approved his nomination from President Donald Trump on Wednesday.
Trump initially nominated Cao in February for Under Secretary of the U.S. Navy. At the time, he was selected for his years of combat experience and was called by Trump “an embodiment of the American dream,” in a social .
His role overseeing the annual budget and much of the day-to-day business operations might be limited as he enters the office. Several sources told that Navy Secretary John Phelan looked to crack down on all of Cao’s picks for aides and ensure the undersecretary “will basically just implement decisions from the front office.”
The Senate voted 54-45-3 along party lines to approve the nomination. Both of Virginia’s Senators, Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, rejected the nomination.
A retired Navy captain living in Northern Virginia who ran as a Republican in both previous campaigns, Cao has diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, and was also critical of military recruitment efforts in recent years.
During his 2024 campaign for Kaine’s seat, Cao received the backing of Trump, who said he’d help to stop inflation, secure the border and “defend our always under siege Second Amendment.”
According to his bio, Cao’s family arrived in the U.S. as Vietnamese refugees in 1975.
He spoke with to discuss his political stance.