Refugee-turned-Navy leader takes acting helm to reboot readiness

Hung Cao, a Vietnam refugee and Navy veteran, has assumed acting Navy secretary duties after John Phelan’s departure. A Trump appointee who has advocated rolling back DEI policies and vaccine-mandate accommodations, Cao has also pushed to modernize base infrastructure and raise recruiting standards. He urges a rethink of naval warfare, pressing for faster shipbuilding and advanced tech to counter threats like hypersonics, noting fleet readiness around 60%. Cao’s background includes active-duty service as a diver and EOD, leading the JFK Jr. recovery, and two Virginia campaigns; he fled Vietnam as a child and later earned advanced degrees and fellowships.