US EditionHung Cao becomes acting Navy secretary after sudden leadership change
The Pentagon said the 25-year Navy veteran will oversee nearly 1 million sailors, Marines, reservists and civilians after Phelan’s abrupt departure.
- On Wednesday, April 22, 2026, U.S. Navy Secretary John Phelan resigned effective immediately, and Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao assumed the role, marking another Pentagon leadership shift during an ongoing war.
- Phelan, a billionaire campaign donor with no prior military experience, served 13 months before departing, while the administration appointed Cao, a 25-year Navy combat veteran, to lead the service.
- Resurfaced video from a 2023 interview shows Cao allegedly warning that 'witchcraft' had taken over Monterey, California, claiming the Wiccan community removed references to Jesus Christ from a coastal landmark.
- Critics separately circulated 2024 campaign footage showing Cao asking for a KKK hood with 'slits' for eye holes instead of circles for better visibility, though the Pentagon has not commented.
- Cao now oversees nearly 1 million sailors, Marines, reservists, and civilian personnel amid heightened global tensions, as Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones emphasized stability in leadership is essential to mission readiness.
24 Articles
24 Articles
Trump's new Navy secretary seems very afraid of witches and drag queens
Trump’s newly appointed Navy Secretary is raising eyebrows over his concerns that witches in California could spell double double toil and trouble.Hung Cao, a failed Republican candidate — who ran to represent Virginia in the House in 2022 and in the Senate in 2024, and lost both times — has been named as the new acting Secretary of the Navy, the 10th person to hold that title across Trump’s five years as president, per MS NOW. Cao has filled in…
Daily Show Labels Opposition To Drag Queens In Recruitment Videos 'Extremist'
Daily Show Labels Opposition To Drag Queens In Recruitment Videos 'Extremist' Comedy Central’s The Daily Show host-of-the-week Michael Kosta joined forces with Jordan Klepper on Thursday to dumb down the definition of what it means to be an “insane extremist” as they condemned new acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao for opposing the use of drag queens in recruitment videos. Kosta also attacked Cao for remarks he made during his 2024 Senate ca…
Headlines from across the state: Hung Cao becomes acting Navy secretary after sudden leadership change; more …
Here are some of the top headlines from other news outlets around Virginia. Some content may be behind a metered paywall: Politics: Hung Cao becomes acting Navy secretary after sudden leadership change. — WVEC-TV. Virginia U.S. Senate candidate caught insider trading on Kalshi says he did it on purpose. — Wired. Local: Campbell County leans toward stricter zoning ordinance for data centers. — The (Lynchburg) News & Advance (paywall). Former Roan…
‘Daily Show’ Rips New Navy Secretary's Witch Obsession: 'Why Is Everyone They Appoint So F--king Crazy?'
"The Daily Show" sounded off on Hung Cao stepping in as acting navy secretary after John Phelan's exit, suggesting the veteran was as "crazy" as the rest of the Trump administration.
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- 37% of the sources lean Left, 36% of the sources are Center
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