President Trump's September 1 nomination of acting Secretary Hung Cao for permanent confirmation has been forwarded to the Senate, where the Armed Services Committee has not yet scheduled a hearing. Cao, who has led the Department of the Navy since April following John Phelan's departure, previously won Senate confirmation as under secretary in October 2025 by a 52-45 margin. Confirmation requires both Senate approval and a congressional waiver because Cao retired from active duty in 2021, short of the seven-year statutory threshold for service secretaries. Ongoing operations tied to the Iran conflict, shipbuilding priorities, and alignment with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shape the context, while Senate vote counts and waiver passage remain the primary variables for traders.