President-elect Donald Trump has chosen businessman John Phelan, who has no military experience, to be the next Secretary of the Navy. Phelan would be the first person in 15 years to lead the Navy without having served in any branch of the armed forces. Trump praised Phelan’s business success and intelligence, saying he will prioritize the business of the U.S. Navy and advance Trump’s America First vision. Phelan would oversee over 900,000 people and an annual budget of more than $210 billion.
Previous Navy Secretaries have typically had military experience, with only a minority having not served in the armed forces. Phelan would be replacing Carlos Del Toro, who had served in the Navy for over 20 years. In contrast, Trump also announced his nomination of Pete Hegseth, a combat veteran and former Fox News host, as Secretary of Defense. Hegseth, who served in the Army National Guard, has combat experience in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Phelan’s nomination is part of Trump’s administration’s efforts to bring in individuals with a range of backgrounds and experiences to lead the military branches.
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