President Trump nominated Hung Cao, the current acting Secretary of the Navy since April 2026 and previously confirmed Under Secretary, for the permanent role in early September, with the formal nomination transmitted to the Senate later that month. Cao’s confirmation requires both a Senate vote and a congressional waiver, as federal law mandates that service secretaries be retired from active duty for at least seven years; he left the Navy in 2021. The Senate Armed Services Committee has not yet scheduled a hearing, leaving the timeline uncertain amid competing priorities and the need for majority support in a divided chamber. Recent Pentagon leadership turnover and ongoing Navy readiness challenges provide context for trader focus on procedural progress and waiver approval.