Military Wiki
in: Pages with non-numeric formatnum arguments, Pages containing cite templates with deprecated parameters, Articles using infobox officeholder,
and 23 more

Hung Cao

Sign in to edit

Hung Cao
Official portrait, 2025
35th United States Under Secretary of the Navy
Incumbent
Assumed office
October 3, 2025
President Donald Trump
Secretary John Phelan
Preceded by Erik Raven
Personal details
Born August 3, 1971(1971-08-03) (age 54)
Saigon, South Vietnam
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) April Cao
Children 5
Military service
Allegiance United States
Service/branch United States Navy
Years of service 1989–2021
Rank Captain

Hung Cao (born August 3, 1971) is an American military officer and current Under Secretary of the Navy, 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.[2][3] In February 2025, President Trump nominated Cao to the position of United States Under Secretary of the Navy, a position that requires Senate confirmation.[4]

Early life and career[]

In 1975, at age 4, Cao came with his family to the United States as refugees from Vietnam.[5] His father, Quan Cao, was assistant to the Nguyễn Văn Hảo, the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of economic development of South Vietnam and had earned a Ph.D. at Cornell University.[6] 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 member of the first graduating class of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia.[7]

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. In 2008,[8] he received a master's of science in applied physics at the Naval Postgraduate School.[9] 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.[10] 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.[11][12]

Captain Hung Cao and his son at

Captain Hung Cao and his son at Marion Military Institute

Captain Cao earned the Command Ashore Badge, the Navy Diving Officer Badge and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Warfare Officers Badge. Cao is a vice president of CACI, a U.S. government contractor that provides services to defense, intelligence, and homeland security agencies.[13]

Congressional elections[]

2022 house bid[]

Hung Cao was a candidate in the 2022 election for Virginia's 10th district seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.[14] He cited the Biden administration's 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan as a reason he entered politics.[15] 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.[16][14]

Cao was considered a strong candidate in a district with large populations of both Asian Americans and military families.[17] During a debate with Wexton, he expressed support for the deregulation of government across nearly all facets of life.[18] 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.[19] Cao lost the election to Wexton 53% to 47%.[20][21][22][19]

2024 Senate bid[]

In July 2023, Cao declared himself a candidate in the 2024 Virginia U.S. Senate race.[23][5] He received the endorsement of former president Donald Trump.[24][25] On June 18, 2024, Cao won the Republican primary by a wide margin, receiving 61.8% of the vote in a five-candidate race.[26]

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.[27]

He advanced to the November 5 general election, facing incumbent senator Tim Kaine.[28] Kaine defeated Cao by 397,204 votes.[29][30]

Nomination as Under Secretary of the Navy[]

On February 28, 2025, President Donald Trump nominated Hung Cao to be Under Secretary of the Navy, the navy's number two position, which requires Senate confirmation.[31][32][33] On October 2, 2025, Cao was confirmed by the Senate in a 52–45 vote (with three no votes).[34] 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 all abstained from voting.[35]

Personal life[]

Cao and his wife April Lakata Cao have two sons and three daughters, one adopted from Thailand and a pair of twins,[36] all of whom were homeschooled by April.[37] The Caos live in Purcellville, Virginia,[36] and attend Cornerstone Chapel in Leesburg, Virginia.[38]

Military awards[]

Cao's decorations, awards, and badges include, among others:[39]

Operational Distinguishing Device
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 Virginia 10th district GOP firehouse primary[40]
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 %
Cao, Hung 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%
Lawson, Jeanine 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%
Michon, Brandon 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%
Clancy, Mike 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% colspan=2 style="text-align:center;" Template:Lost
Max, Caleb Caleb Max 621 4.1% 623 4.1% 627 4.1% 646 4.3% 678 4.5% 707 4.7% 727 4.8% colspan=4 style="text-align:center;" Template:Lost
Henley , John John Henley 612 4% 614 4.1% 619 4.1% 628 4.2% 641 4.2% 676 4.5% colspan=6 style="text-align:center;" Template:Lost
Beckwith, Dave Dave Beckwith 308 2% 308 2% 312 2.1% 328 2.2% 333 2.2% colspan=8 style="text-align:center;" Template:Lost
Ellis, Theresa Theresa Ellis 259 1.7% 262 1.7% 276 1.8% 285 1.9% colspan=10 style="text-align:center;" Template:Lost
Beatty, John John Beatty 232 1.5% 232 1.5% 237 1.6% colspan=12 style="text-align:center;" Template:Lost
Mayhugh, Jeff Jeff Mayhugh 64 0.4% 66 0.4% colspan=14 style="text-align:center;" Template:Lost
Taylor, Brooke Brooke Taylor 56 0.4% colspan=16 style="text-align:center;" Template:Lost
2022 Virginia's 10th Congressional District election[41]
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 Virginia Republican U.S. Senate Primary Results[42]
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%

References[]

  1. ↑ "Navy veteran Hung Cao enters GOP race to challenge Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine in 2024". AP News. 18 July 2023. https://apnews.com/article/hung-cao-tim-kaine-senate-virginia-2024-election-b9a719a3a7278f54cc2f09cd8f782f1e. 
  2. ↑ "2024 November General Official Results". https://enr.elections.virginia.gov/results/public/Virginia/elections/2024NovemberGeneral. 
  3. ↑ "2022 November General". https://results.elections.virginia.gov/vaelections/2022%20November%20General/Site/Congress.html. 
  4. ↑ "Hung Cao nominated as Under Secretary of Navy". 27 February 2025. https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/politics/hung-cao-us-senate-under-secretary-navy-president-donald-trump-cabinet-politcs/65-fff39b1a-4158-48cd-948e-36ff7decd7d3. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Vozzella, Laura (26 May 2024). "Five Virginia Republicans vie for a chance to challenge Sen. Tim Kaine". The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/05/26/virginia-senate-gop-primary-kaine/. 
  6. ↑ Zito, Salena (28 July 2023). "Hung Cao's next call of duty". The Washington Examiner. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/magazine-features/2584267/hung-caos-next-call-of-duty/. 
  7. ↑ Cao, Hung (21 April 2022). "The erosion of excellence at Thomas Jefferson High School". The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/04/21/erosion-excellence-thomas-jefferson-high-school/. 
  8. ↑ "Hung Cao's Biography". 2021. https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/206932/hung-cao. 
  9. ↑ "Senate2024-Cao / Chasing Freedom - Virginia". 28 February 2022. https://chasingfreedomvirginia.com/senate2024-cao/. 
  10. ↑ Glebova, Diana (10 August 2022). "How Congressional Candidate Hung Cao Salvaged John F. Kennedy Jr.'s Plane". National Review. https://www.nationalreview.com/news/how-congressional-candidate-hung-cao-salvaged-john-f-kennedy-jr-s-plane/. 
  11. ↑ "Captain Hung Cao". https://yaf.org/people/caphttps://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:%E9%87%91%E8%89%B2%E9%BB%8E%E6%98%8E/sandbox&action=edit&section=1#tain-hung-cao/. 
  12. ↑ "Hung Cao - 2022". https://guardianfundpac.org/candidates/hung-cao-2022/. 
  13. ↑ Valentine, Jesse (6 June 2024). "Virginia U.S. Senate candidate Hung Cao says workplace diversity is 'Marxism'". American Journal News. https://americanjournalnews.com/virginia-u-s-senate-candidate-hung-cao-says-workplace-diversity-is-marxism/. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Virginia GOP nominates Navy vet Hung Cao to challenge Rep. Jennifer Wexton". The Washington Times. https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/may/23/virginia-gop-nominates-navy-vet-hung-cao-challenge/. 
  15. ↑ "Hung Cao Fires Up Packed RNC Veterans Forum in VA-10". https://gop.com/blog/hung-cao-fires-up-packed-rnc-veterans-forum-in-va-10/. 
  16. ↑ "Virginia's 10th Congressional District election, 2022 (May 21 Republican firehouse primary)". https://ballotpedia.org/Virginia%27s_10th_Congressional_District_election,_2022_%28May_21_Republican_firehouse_primary%29. 
  17. ↑ Barakat, Matthew; Finley, Ben (9 November 2022). "Trio of Virginia Democrats face tough reelection bids". The Roanoke Times. pp. A3. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-roanoke-times/153649473/. 
  18. ↑ "Wexton vs Cao: What Thursday's debate means for Loudoun County". WUSA9. 20 October 2022. https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/virginia/wexton-cao-debate-leesburg/65-e0001ce2-0e00-4de0-9231-52d9d1ec575e. 
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Foretek, Jared (9 November 2022). "Jennifer Wexton tops Cao to win 10th District race". INSIDENOVA.COM. https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/jennifer-wexton-tops-cao-to-win-10th-district-race/article_58a99dda-5faf-11ed-88ca-eb2594527e1f.html. 
  20. ↑ "Virginia's 10th Congressional District election, 2022". https://ballotpedia.org/Virginia%27s_10th_Congressional_District_election,_2022. 
  21. ↑ Astor, Maggie (9 November 2022). "Elected to House in 2018, Most Democratic Women Are Hanging On". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/09/us/politics/women-midterms.html. 
  22. ↑ "2022 November General Official Results". https://results.elections.virginia.gov/vaelections/2022%20November%20General/Site/Locality/MANASSAS_CITY/Member_House_of_Representatives_%2810%29.html. 
  23. ↑ Olivo, Antonio (19 July 2023). "Virginia Republican Hung Cao joins race to take on Sen. Tim Kaine". The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/07/18/virginia-senate-hung-cao-tim-kaine/. 
  24. ↑ "Republican US Senate candidate in Virginia 'honored' to receive Trump endorsement". WTOP News. 27 May 2024. https://wtop.com/virginia-election/2024/05/republican-us-senate-candidate-in-virginia-honored-to-receive-trump-endorsement/. 
  25. ↑ Dodd, Cormac (20 June 2024). "Cao cruises to GOP primary win, setting stage for November matchup against Kaine". The Winchester Star. https://www.winchesterstar.com/winchester_star/cao-cruises-to-gop-primary-win-setting-stage-for-november-matchup-against-kaine/article_8c89dfc8-87e8-510d-bcae-1121ccccd7a2.html. 
  26. ↑ Vakil, Caroline (18 June 2024). "Hung Cao wins Virginia Senate GOP primary". The Hill. https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4728674-hung-cao-donald-trump-virginia-tim-kaine/. 
  27. ↑ Beyer, Elizabeth; Vanden Brook, Tom. "Exclusive: VA Senate candidate says he was 'blown up' in combat. His record doesn't show that.". USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/06/26/hung-cao-military-record-purple-heart/74220141007/. 
  28. ↑ "United States Senate election in Virginia, 2024". https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_Senate_election_in_Virginia,_2024. 
  29. ↑ Finley, Ben (5 November 2024). "Democrat Tim Kaine of Virginia fends off GOP challenger to win a 3rd term to the US Senate". AP News. https://apnews.com/article/tim-kaine-hung-cao-virginia-senate-b88609b63fdb95bbbb817e55f7d78d2b. 
  30. ↑ "Virginia U.S. Senate Election Results". The New York Times. 5 November 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/11/05/us/elections/results-virginia-us-senate.html. 
  31. ↑ Pritchett, Elizabeth (28 February 2025). "Trump appoints Paul Dabbar, Hung Cao to positions within administration". https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-appoints-hung-cao-paul-dabbar-positions-within-administration. 
  32. ↑ Shane III, Leo (28 February 2025). "Trump names special ops vet Hung Cao as Navy Under Secretary". Navy Times. https://www.navytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2025/02/28/trump-names-special-ops-vet-hung-cao-as-navy-under-secretary/. 
  33. ↑ Gould, Joe (28 February 2025). "Trump taps hard-liner Hung Cao for Navy No. 2 role". Politico. https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/28/trump-hung-cao-navy-undersecretary-00206663. 
  34. ↑ "PN26-10 - Nomination of Hung Cao for Department of Defense, 119th Congress (2025-2026)". October 1, 2025. https://www.congress.gov/nomination/119th-congress/26/10. 
  35. ↑ "U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 119th Congress - 1st Session". https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00539.htm. 
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 Cline, Nathaniel (22 May 2022). "Retired veteran wins Republican nomination for 10th Congressional District race". Loudoun Times-Mirror. https://www.loudountimes.com/news/retired-veteran-wins-republican-nomination-for-10th-congressional-district-race/article_dbca8a50-da1f-11ec-8d69-cb868455b2a6.html. 
  37. ↑ "Call Me An American - Republic Book Publishers". 29 February 2024. https://www.republicbookpublishers.com/product/call-me-an-american/. 
  38. ↑ Israel, Josh (August 1, 2023). "Virginia Republican Senate Candidate Hung Cao Touts Ties to anti-LGBTQ+ Pastor". The American Independent. https://americanindependent.com/virginia-republican-senate-candidate-hung-cao-anti-lgbtq-pastor/. 
  39. ↑ "Hung Cao for Congress". http://www.hungcaoforcongress.com. 
  40. ↑ "GOP Ranked Choice Results in CD10". Virginia Public Access Project. May 22, 2022. https://www.vpap.org/visuals/visual/gop-ranked-choice-cd10/. 
  41. ↑ "2022 November General". Results.elections.virginia.gov. https://results.elections.virginia.gov/vaelections/2022%20November%20General/Site/Congress.html. 
  42. ↑ "Candidates & Referendums June 18, 2024 Primary Elections". April 15, 2024. https://www.elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/candidate-list/. 

External links[]

Party political offices
Preceded by
Corey Stewart 		Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from Virginia
(Class 1)
2024 		Most recent
All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at Hung Cao and the edit history here.
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.