Hung Cao
Official portrait, 2025
Acting United States Secretary of the Navy
Incumbent
Assumed office
April 22, 2026
President Donald Trump
Preceded by John C. Phelan
35th United States Under Secretary of the Navy
Incumbent
Assumed office
October 3, 2025
President Donald Trump
Preceded by Erik Raven
Personal details
Born 1971 (age 54–55)
Saigon, South Vietnam
Party Republican
Spouse April Cao
Children 5
Education United States Naval Academy (BS)
Naval Postgraduate School (MS)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Navy
Years of service 1989–2021
Rank Captain
Battles/wars
  • Afghan War
  • Iraq War
  • Somali Civil War

Hung Cao (born 1971) is an American politician and former military officer who has served as the acting United States secretary of the Navy since April 22, 2026, and as the 35th United States under secretary of the Navy since 2025, having served in the branch from 1989 to 2021.[1] He was a Republican candidate for U.S. Representative in Virginia's 10th congressional district in 2022, and the party's nominee for the state's 2024 U.S. Senate election, losing to Jennifer Wexton and Tim Kaine respectively.[2][3]

In February 2025, President Trump nominated Cao to the position of United States under secretary of the Navy.[4] After being confirmed by the Senate, Cao was sworn in on October 3, 2025.[5] On April 22, 2026, he became the acting United States secretary of the Navy after the removal of John Phelan.[6]

Early life and career

Cao was born in 1971 in Saigon, South Vietnam.[7] His father, Quan Cao, from Quảng Trị province, worked in South Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and was assistant to the deputy prime minister.[8] Quan Cao had been an international student in the Philippines having been granted a scholarship from the Rockefeller Foundation, before earning a Ph.D. at Cornell University.[9] In 1975, at age 4, Hung Cao went to the United States with his family as refugees.[10] Cao spent some of his childhood living in Niger, where his father served as an agricultural specialist for USAID. He returned to the U.S. at age 12 and was a student of the first graduating class of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax County, Virginia.[11]

Cao entered the U.S. Navy as a seaman recruit in 1989 and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1996 with a bachelor's degree in ocean engineering. A specialist in ordnance disposal and salvage diving, he led the Navy team on the USNS Grasp that recovered the bodies of John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife Carolyn Bessette, and sister-in-law Lauren Bessette after their 1999 crash off Martha's Vineyard.[12]In 2008, he received a Master's of Science in Applied Physics at the Naval Postgraduate School.[13] He spent over 30 years on active duty in the Navy, retiring as a captain in October 2021. His military career encompassed operational deployments in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia.[14][15] Cao earned the Command Ashore Badge, the Navy Diving Officer Badge and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Warfare Officers Badge. Cao was a vice president of CACI, a U.S. government contractor that provides services to defense, intelligence, and homeland security agencies.[16]

Congressional elections

2022 house bid

Main article: 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia § District 10

Cao was a candidate in the 2022 election for Virginia's 10th district seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.[17] He cited the Biden administration's 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan as a reason he entered politics.[18] He was one of 11 candidates in the May 21 ranked-choice Republican primary. He won the election by about 2,800 votes over his nearest opponent, earning him a spot in the general election against incumbent Democrat Jennifer Wexton, who was seeking a third term.[19][17]

Cao was considered a strong candidate in a district with large populations of both Asian Americans and military families.[20] During a debate with Wexton, he expressed support for the deregulation of government across nearly all facets of life.[21] During the course of the campaign, Wexton sought to portray Hung Cao as "extreme" in comparison to the political demographics of the district, emphasizing his anti-abortion and pro-gun rights stances.[22] Cao lost the election to Wexton 53% to 47%.[23][24][25][22]

2024 Senate bid

Main article: 2024 United States Senate election in Virginia

In July 2023, Cao declared himself a candidate in the 2024 Virginia U.S. Senate race.[26][10] He received the endorsement of former president Donald Trump.[27][28] On June 18, 2024, Cao won the Republican primary by a wide margin, receiving 61.8% of the vote in a five-candidate race.[29]

During his Senate campaign in 2023, Cao said "witchcraft" had taken over Monterey, California and he did not want that to happen to Virginia.[30][31] In the same interview, Cao also said "I'm African American because I grew up in Africa, too,” referring to a few years spent in Niger as a child.[32]

On June 24, USA Today reported that Cao had claimed in campaign appearances that "I'm 100% disabled, you know, because just from being blown up in combat many times." But he had not received either the Purple Heart or the Navy's Combat Action Ribbon, both of which would normally have been awarded to someone injured by enemy action. Cao declined the newspaper's request for clarification about his injuries.[33]

He advanced to the November 5 general election, facing incumbent senator Tim Kaine.[34] Kaine defeated Cao 54% to 45%.[35][36]

Under Secretary of the Navy

On February 28, 2025, President Donald Trump nominated Cao to be Under Secretary of the Navy, the navy's number two position, which requires Senate confirmation.[37][38][39] On October 1, 2025, Cao was confirmed by the Senate in a 52–45 vote (with three abstaining).[40] Every Republican senator, with the exception of Lisa Murkowski, voted to confirm him, while every Democratic senator opposed his nomination, with the exception of Chuck Schumer, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Brian Schatz, who were not present.[41]

On October 3, 2025, Cao was sworn in as Under Secretary of the Navy.[42]

As the undersecretary of the navy, Cao was reportedly often excluded from the decision-making process by Phelan and was not permitted to represent him in meetings he did not attend.[43]

Acting Secretary of the Navy (2026–present)

On April 22, 2026, Cao became the acting United States Secretary of the Navy after the departure of John Phelan.[6]

Personal life

Cao and his wife April Lakata Cao have two sons and three daughters, one adopted from Thailand and a pair of twins,[44] all of whom were homeschooled by April.[45] The Caos live in Purcellville, Virginia,[44] and attend Cornerstone Chapel in Leesburg, Virginia.[46]

Military awards

Cao's decorations, awards, and badges include:[47]

Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Badge Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer
1st Row Defense Superior Service Medal Bronze Star Medal
2nd Row Meritorious Service Medal Joint Service Commendation Medal Navy Commendation Medal with two gold stars
3rd Row Army Commendation Medal Navy Achievement Medal with three gold stars Joint Meritorious Unit Award
4th Row Navy Unit Commendation ribbon Coast Guard Unit Commendation with silver O Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon
5th Row Navy E Ribbon with two silver E's National Defense Service Medal with one bronze star Iraq Campaign Medal with three bronze stars
6th Row Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Humanitarian Service Medal
7th Row Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with four bronze stars Navy Overseas Service Ribbon
8th Row NATO Medal Navy Marksmanship Rifle Medal with silver E Navy Marksmanship Pistol Medal with silver E
Badge Master Diver Officer (United States Navy)

Electoral history

2022

2022 Virginia 10th district GOP firehouse primary[48]
Candidate Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Round 6 Round 7 Round 8 Round 9
Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %
Hung Cao 6,363 42% 6,379 42.1% 6,393 42.2% 6,471 42.8% 6,562 43.5% 6,672 44.4% 6,998 46.6% 7,238 48.7% 7,729 52.3%
Jeanine Lawson 4,373 28.9% 4,382 30% 4,390 29% 4,433 29.3% 4,503 29.8% 4,564 30.4% 4,693 31.2% 4,800 32.3% 5,000 33.8%
Brandon Michon 1,538 10.2% 1,551 10.2% 1,555 10.3% 1,588 10.5% 1,612 10.7% 1,614 10.7% 1,733 11.5% 1,854 12.5% 2,052 13.9%
Mike Clancy 719 4.7% 721 4.8% 724 4.8% 739 4.9% 764 5.1% 794 6.3% 876 5.8% 979 6.6% Eliminated
Caleb Max 621 4.1% 623 4.1% 627 4.1% 646 4.3% 678 4.5% 707 4.7% 727 4.8% Eliminated
John Henley 612 4% 614 4.1% 619 4.1% 628 4.2% 641 4.2% 676 4.5% Eliminated
Dave Beckwith 308 2% 308 2% 312 2.1% 328 2.2% 333 2.2% Eliminated
Theresa Ellis 259 1.7% 262 1.7% 276 1.8% 285 1.9% Eliminated
John Beatty 232 1.5% 232 1.5% 237 1.6% Eliminated
Jeff Mayhugh 64 0.4% 66 0.4% Eliminated
Brooke Taylor 56 0.4% Eliminated
2022 Virginia's 10th Congressional District election[49]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Jennifer Wexton (incumbent) 157,405 53.15% −3.35%
Republican Hung Cao 138,163 46.65% +3.25%
Write-in 577 0.19% +.09%
Total votes 296,145
Democratic hold

2024

2024 Virginia Republican U.S. Senate Primary Results[50]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Hung Cao 166,737 61.7%
Republican Scott Parkinson 29,623 11.0%
Republican Eddie Garcia 27,403 10.1%
Republican Chuck Smith 23,603 8.7%
Republican Jonathan Emord 22,909 8.5%
Total votes 270,275 100.0%
United States Senate election in Virginia, 2024[51]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Tim Kaine (incumbent) 2,417,115 54.37% −2.63%
Republican Hung Cao 2,019,911 45.44% +4.43%
Write-in 8,509 0.19% +0.04%
Total votes 4,445,535 100.00% N/A
Democratic hold

References

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