The United States Senate on Monday afternoon confirmed businessman John Phelan as the 79th Secretary of the United States Navy in a bipartisan 62-30 vote.
All 51 Republican senators voted for Phelan, as well as 11 Democrat senators, including the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. Jack Reed (RI) — a notable feat during a time of heightened political contentiousness between Democrats and the Trump administration.
Phelan is a Harvard Business School graduate and the founder and chairman of the private investment firm Rugger Management LLC, and previously was the co-founding partner and chief investment officer of MSD Capital, a private investment firm managing the capital of Michael Dell, chairman and chief executive officer of Dell Technologies.
Although Phelan did not serve in the military, he is expected to bring his vast business expertise and acumen to help fix the Navy’s most pressing problems in ship building and maintenance, particularly as China seeks to build a navy rivaling the U.S.’s.
At his February 27 confirmation hearing, Phelan said the Navy was at a “crossroads,” with extended deployments, inadequate maintenance, huge cost overruns, delayed ship building, failed audits, subpar housing and record-high suicide rates.
“These are systemic failures that have gone unaddressed for far too long. Frankly, this is unacceptable,” he said. “The Navy and the Marine Corps already possess extraordinary operational expertise within their ranks. … My role is to utilize that expertise and strengthen it, step outside the status quo and take decisive action with a results-oriented approach.”
Phelan, a Floridian and personal friend of Trump’s, was the first of all the service secretaries to be nominated and the second to be confirmed after Army Secretary Dan Driscoll. Phelan will be sworn into office in the next few days.
In his nomination announcement on November 26, Trump said of Phelan:
It is my great honor to announce John Phelan as our next United States Secretary of the Navy! John will be a tremendous force for our Naval Servicemembers, and a steadfast leader in advancing my America First vision. He will put the business of the U.S. Navy above all else.
John has excelled in every endeavor, from founding and leading Rugger Management LLC, to co-founding MSD Capital, LP, the Private Investment Firm for Michael Dell, CEO of Dell Technologies. His Record of Success speaks for itself – A true Champion of American Enterprise and Ingenuity!
John’s intelligence and leadership are unmatched. John holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School, and is a truly brilliant guy! His incredible knowledge and experience will elevate the lives of the brave Americans who serve our Nation. John will deliver real results for our Navy and our Country. I look forward to working with him.
Congratulations, John – Together, we will MAKE AMERICA STRONG AGAIN!
Congratulations poured in for Phelan after his confirmation.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on X, “Congratulations John Phelan on being Confirmed as the 79th Secretary of the Navy! Looking forward to supporting our warfighters together.”
Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) posted, “Our incredible @USNavy is second to none! As Secretary of the Navy, John Phelan will build a lethal force to defend our interests around the world. I look forward to working with him to ensure our Sailors and Marines have the resources they need to meet pressing and evolving threats.
Navy veteran Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN) posted, “CONFIRMED: Secretary of the Navy John Phelan. As our military faces increasingly complicated challenges, John will bring an entrepreneurial skillset and fresh thinking to the Navy.”
Sen. Ashley Moody (R-FL), who replaced Secretary of State Marco Rubio, posted, “John Phelan is an excellent pick to lead the @USNavy. He has committed to returning our military to the lethal fighting force that it is meant to be. I am proud to have supported this fellow Floridian on his confirmation this evening.”
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) posted:
Congratulations to John Phelan on his Senate confirmation to be Secretary of the Navy. John will become Secretary of the Navy at a crucial time in our naval history. I am committed to working closely with him to revitalize American shipbuilding, bolster the size of our Naval fleet, and improve the readiness of our Navy and Marine Corps.
Another Navy veteran, Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), posted, “Proud to vote yes to confirm my friend John Phelan as Secretary of the Navy. John knows what it takes to turn an organization around, and I have no doubt that he will work with President Trump to increase lethality with incredible ships, and take care of our Sailors and Marines.”
Aerospace Industries Association President and CEO Eric Fanning, who served as Army Secretary under the Obama administration, also congratulated him.
“The Aerospace Industries Association congratulates the new Secretary of the Navy, John Phelan, on his confirmation today. Secretary Phelan’s business acumen will infuse the Navy with a strategic approach to expanding our fleet to meet deterrence needs across the world, especially in the Indo-Pacific,” he said.
“His commitment to readiness, effectiveness, and efficiency aligns seamlessly with our industry’s priorities. We look forward to collaborating with Secretary Phelan to ensure our Sailors are equipped with the finest equipment in the world.”
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