# Hung Cao # Hung Cao **Hung Cao** (born August 3, 1971) is a Vietnamese-born American politician and retired United States Navy captain who serves as the 35th United States Under Secretary of the Navy since October 3, 2025. Born in Saigon, South Vietnam, Cao immigrated to the United States as a refugee in 1975 at age four, initially arriving in Guam before his family spent time in West Africa and later settled in Northern Virginia when he was twelve. He is a graduate of the inaugural class of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia, and earned a bachelor's degree in ocean engineering from the United States Naval Academy in 1996 and a master's degree in applied physics from the Naval Postgraduate School in 2008. Cao served in the U.S. Navy from 1989 until his retirement as a captain in October 2021, specializing in special operations as a Navy diver and Explosive Ordnance Disposal officer with deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia. He notably participated in the recovery of the wreckage and remains from John F. Kennedy Jr.'s 1999 plane crash as a Navy diver. His non-combat roles included managing aspects of the Navy's budget at the Pentagon and collaborating with agencies such as the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force. As a Republican, Cao unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. [House of Representatives](/organizations/house-of-representatives) in Virginia's 10th congressional district in 2022 and for the U.S. Senate in Virginia in 2024. He was nominated by [President Donald Trump](/people/mig-donald-trump) in February 2025 to serve as Under Secretary of the Navy and was confirmed by the Senate, taking office as the Department of the Navy's chief operating and management officer overseeing a workforce of nearly one million personnel and a budget exceeding $250 billion. Cao is married to April Cao and has five children. ## Early life and education ### Childhood and immigration **Hung Cao** was born on August 3, 1971, in Saigon, South Vietnam. In April 1975, at the age of four, Cao and his family fled Vietnam amid the Fall of Saigon and the imminent communist takeover. His parents, fearing separation during the chaotic evacuation, prepared by sewing identification notes into their children's clothing. The family, including Cao as the youngest of five children, successfully escaped together and arrived in Guam under Operation New Life, where they stayed in a refugee camp. Cao later described Guam as "the doorway to freedom" and credited Vietnam War veterans for enabling his family's escape and new life in the United States. Following their time in Guam, the family immigrated to the United States and subsequently relocated to West Africa, where Cao's father served as an agricultural specialist for USAID. Cao spent part of his early childhood there before the family returned to Northern Virginia when he was twelve. ### Education Hung Cao graduated with the inaugural class of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia. He subsequently attended the United States Naval Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in ocean engineering in 1996. Cao later pursued advanced studies at the Naval Postgraduate School, receiving a Master of Science degree in applied physics in 2008. He has also completed fellowships with MIT Seminar XXI and the Harvard Kennedy School. ## Military career ### Naval service overview Hung Cao entered the United States Navy as a Seaman Recruit in 1989. He was commissioned as a Special Operations Officer upon graduation from the United States Naval Academy in 1996. His career as a naval officer focused on special operations, where he qualified as a Navy Diver, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer, Naval Parachutist, and Surface Warfare Officer. Cao led underwater missions as a diver and counter-improvised threat missions as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer, conducting global operations during his service. In his final tour, he led sensitive activities, exploitation, counter-messaging, and counter-drone operations in support of Geographic Combatant Commanders and Special Operations Command. Cao is a decorated combat veteran who advanced through the officer ranks to Captain (O-6). He retired from active duty in October 2021 after more than 30 years of service. During his naval career, he earned a master's degree in applied physics. ### Notable assignments and deployments Cao undertook several notable assignments during his naval career, particularly in his specialized roles as a Navy Diver and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Officer. As a Navy Diver, he led underwater missions worldwide, including a high-profile recovery operation in July 1999 following the plane crash that killed John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, and her sister Lauren Bessette off Martha's Vineyard. Serving as the operations officer for the mission aboard USS Grasp (ARS-51), Cao oversaw the effort, which located the wreckage within twelve hours; divers initially descended, after which Cao and another diver rigged the plane for recovery by the ship's crane. As an EOD Officer, Cao led counter-improvised explosive threat missions in support of Special Warfare and Special Forces, including multiple combat deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia. ## Political career ### 2022 U.S. House campaign **2022 U.S. House campaign** In 2022, Hung Cao, a retired U.S. Navy captain and political newcomer, ran for the Republican nomination in Virginia’s 10th congressional district, a competitive suburban area covering parts of Northern Virginia including Loudoun, Fairfax, and Prince William counties that had been redrawn following the 2020 census. Cao, a Vietnamese immigrant who arrived in the United States as a refugee in 1975, emphasized his military background and service during the campaign. On May 21, 2022, the 10th District Republican Party held a firehouse primary using ranked-choice voting among a field of 11 candidates. Cao won the nomination, receiving 7,729 votes (52.29%), ahead of Prince William County Supervisor Jeanine Lawson (5,000 votes, 33.83%) and Brandon Michon (2,252 votes, 13.88%). He focused his primary effort on outreach to the district’s immigrant communities and leveraged his experience as a Navy veteran. In the November 8, 2022, general election, Cao faced incumbent Democratic Representative [Jennifer Wexton](/people/jennifer-wexton). The contest was seen as competitive in a district that leans Democratic but had shown Republican strength in recent statewide races. Despite Cao’s campaign highlighting his military service and personal story, Wexton won reelection with 157,405 votes (53.15%) to Cao’s 138,163 votes (46.65%). Cao conceded the race to Wexton following the results. Cao’s campaign raised significant funds, with reported spending of $628,573 in the primary and $3,212,421 in the general election, though Wexton outspent him overall. The race was viewed as an early indicator in the 2022 midterms, with Wexton’s hold providing relief for Democrats in a cycle where Republicans sought gains in suburban districts. ### 2024 U.S. Senate campaign **Hung Cao, a retired U.S. Navy captain and Republican, ran for Virginia's U.S. Senate seat in the 2024 election, challenging incumbent Democrat [Tim Kaine](/people/tim-kaine).** Cao won the Republican primary on June 18, 2024, in a five-way field, receiving 61.8% of the vote. He received an endorsement from former President Donald Trump during the primary. Cao's campaign emphasized border security, which he described as stopping an "invasion" of migrants and drugs at the southern border through measures including a wall, advanced technology, and support for Border Patrol. He advocated for energy independence to reduce reliance on foreign oil from regions like the Middle East and Venezuela, tariffs on Chinese goods to rebuild American manufacturing, and opposition to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in education and the military. Cao also criticized Biden administration policies, including COVID vaccine mandates for service members and the Afghanistan troop withdrawal, while supporting continued aid to Israel but opposing substantial aid to Ukraine in favor of prioritizing American needs. The candidates debated once at Norfolk State University in October 2024, where Cao highlighted his military background and critiqued federal spending, DEI practices, and other policies he argued weakened national security and the economy. Pre-election polls consistently showed Kaine leading by double-digit margins. On November 5, 2024, Kaine defeated Cao in the general election, securing 54.4% of the vote (2,417,115 votes) to Cao's 45.4% (2,019,911 votes), a margin of about 9 percentage points. Cao's campaign spent approximately $9.5 million, compared to Kaine's $21.5 million. Kaine's victory extended Democratic control of the seat, which Republicans have not held since 2007. ## Under Secretary of the Navy ### Nomination and confirmation On February 28, 2025, President Donald Trump nominated Hung Cao to serve as Under Secretary of the Navy, the second-ranking civilian leader in the Department of the Navy. Trump described Cao as "the embodiment of the American Dream," citing his refugee background, combat deployments, and Pentagon experience in the Navy budget process. Cao, who had unsuccessfully run for U.S. Senate in Virginia in 2024, released a statement thanking Trump and stating his readiness to serve. Cao appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee for a nomination hearing in late June 2025. On October 1, 2025, the Senate confirmed his nomination in a 52–45 vote, largely along party lines. The vote drew opposition from most Democrats and Republican Senator [Lisa Murkowski](/people/lisa-murkowski), with Senator [Jack Reed](/people/jack-reed) expressing concerns over Cao's prior statements disparaging certain Navy personnel, criticizing U.S. allies, and advocating for the release of individuals convicted in connection with the January 6, 2021, Capitol events. Supporters, including Republican Senator [Rick Scott](/people/rick-scott), cited Cao's 25 years of distinguished naval service as a special operations veteran and his qualifications for the role. Cao was sworn in as the 35th Under Secretary of the Navy on October 3, 2025. ### Tenure **Hung Cao** assumed office as the 35th United States Under Secretary of the Navy on October 3, 2025, following his swearing-in ceremony. As Under Secretary, Cao serves as the Department of the Navy’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Management Officer, overseeing nearly one million Navy, Marine Corps, and civilian personnel and managing an annual budget exceeding $250 billion. He also acts as the Senior Defense Official for Guam, providing oversight, advocacy, and support for on-island infrastructure development to align with operational requirements in the Indo-Pacific. On October 3, 2025, Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan welcomed Cao and launched a cross-departmental portfolio under Cao’s leadership to enhance warrior ethos and quality of service across the Navy and Marine Corps. The initiative consolidates efforts in personnel policy, housing, digital infrastructure, audit readiness, recruiting, reserve reform, wellness, suicide prevention, and permanent change of station (PCS) processes to eliminate bureaucratic barriers, accelerate problem-solving, and translate improvements into combat power. Specific focus areas include rapid inspections and upgrades to family housing, healthcare, and recreation facilities; modernizing unclassified IT systems and Defense Business Systems in collaboration with the Department of the Navy Chief Information Officer to reduce downtime, simplify processes, and ensure quick access to digital tools for service members and families; achieving audit compliance for transparency and accountability; reforming recruiting standards; integrating reserve components with active-duty training; strengthening mental health and suicide prevention programs; streamlining PCS orders and expanding educational options for military families; and addressing infrastructure challenges on Guam to enhance its role as an Indo-Pacific power-projection hub. These efforts emphasize merit-based standards, uniform high physical fitness requirements, and the elimination of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives deemed divisive, with reforms targeting family housing, base dining (including healthier, locally sourced menus), recruiting practices, and overall force readiness. Phelan described the approach as “one quarterback, one playbook” to align family welfare with combat effectiveness, while Cao’s leadership prioritizes cutting bureaucracy to deliver solutions that maintain the Navy and Marine Corps as the world’s premier maritime force. In January 2026, Cao addressed the reinstatement of service members previously discharged under the prior COVID-19 vaccine mandate. He signed an apology letter on behalf of the Department of the Navy to those “unjustly removed,” stating in remarks that “to the sailors and marines who were wrongfully discharged during COVID, we failed you” and affirming that the department would correct records, welcome affected individuals back, and ensure such actions would not recur. These actions aligned with Executive Order 14184, which directed reinstatement or benefit restoration for those separated solely for refusing the vaccine. ## Personal life ### Family Hung Cao is married to April Cao. The couple are the parents of five children. ### Residence and post-Navy career Hung Cao resides in Purcellville, Virginia. After retiring from the U.S. Navy in October 2021, Cao joined CACI International in a civilian capacity. He initially served as a solutions architect before advancing to Vice President and Client Executive for the Navy and Marine Corps. In this role at CACI, Cao supported Department of the Navy initiatives by contributing to the fielding of electronic warfare packages, counter-drone technology, optical communications, photonics, enterprise IT, and shipyard infrastructure optimization. He held this position until his nomination and subsequent appointment as Under Secretary of the Navy in 2025. ## Dated facts _No published facts on this page yet._ ## Methodology https://factrail.ai/methodology Canonical: https://factrail.ai/people/hung-cao