Hung Cao (born August 3, 1971) is an American politician and former military officer who has served as the 35th United States Under Secretary of the Navy since 2025, 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.[4] After being confirmed by the Senate, Cao was sworn-in on October 3, 2025.[5]
Cao was born on August 3, 1971 in Saigon, South Vietnam. His father, Quan Cao, worked in South Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and was assistant to the deputy prime minister,[6] and had been an international student in the Philippines who was granted a scholarship from the Rockefeller Foundation before earning a Ph.D. at Cornell University.[7] In 1975, at age 4, Cao came with his family to the United States as refugees.[8] 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.[9]
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,[10] he received a master's of science in applied physics at the Naval Postgraduate School.[11] 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.[12] 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.[13][14]
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.[15]
Cao was a candidate in the 2022 election for Virginia's 10th district seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.[16] He cited the Biden administration's 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan as a reason he entered politics.[17] 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.[18][16]
Cao was considered a strong candidate in a district with large populations of both Asian Americans and military families.[19] During a debate with Wexton, he expressed support for the deregulation of government across nearly all facets of life.[20] 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.[21] Cao lost the election to Wexton 53% to 47%.[22][23][24][21]
In July 2023, Cao declared himself a candidate in the 2024 Virginia U.S. Senate race.[25][8] He received the endorsement of former president Donald Trump.[26][27] On June 18, 2024, Cao won the Republican primary by a wide margin, receiving 61.8% of the vote in a five-candidate race.[28]
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.[29]
He advanced to the November 5 general election, facing incumbent senator Tim Kaine.[30] Kaine defeated Cao 54% to 45%.[31][32]
On February 28, 2025, President Donald Trump nominated Cao to be Under Secretary of the Navy, the navy's number two position, which requires Senate confirmation.[33][34][35] On October 1, 2025, Cao was confirmed by the Senate in a 52-45 vote (with three abstaining).[36] 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 were not present.[37]
On October 3, 2025, Cao was sworn in as Under Secretary of the Navy.[38]
Cao and his wife April Lakata Cao have two sons and three daughters, one adopted from Thailand and a pair of twins,[39] all of whom were homeschooled by April.[40] The Caos live in Purcellville, Virginia,[39] and attend Cornerstone Chapel in Leesburg, Virginia.[41]
Cao's decorations, awards, and badges include:[42]
Badge Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer 1st RowDefense 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) 2022 Virginia 10th district GOP firehouse primary[43] 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 % 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% 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% 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% 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% Eliminated Caleb Max 621 4.1% 623 4.1% 627 4.1% 646 4.3% 678 4.5% 707 4.7% 727 4.8% Eliminated John Henley 612 4% 614 4.1% 619 4.1% 628 4.2% 641 4.2% 676 4.5% Eliminated Dave Beckwith 308 2% 308 2% 312 2.1% 328 2.2% 333 2.2% Eliminated Theresa Ellis 259 1.7% 262 1.7% 276 1.8% 285 1.9% Eliminated John Beatty 232 1.5% 232 1.5% 237 1.6% Eliminated Jeff Mayhugh 64 0.4% 66 0.4% Eliminated Brooke Taylor 56 0.4% Eliminated 2022 Virginia's 10th Congressional District election[44] 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[45] 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% United States Senate election in Virginia, 2024[46] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Democratic Tim Kaine (incumbent) 2,417,115 54.37% −2.63% Republican Hung Cao 2,019,911 45.44% +4.43% Write-in 8,509 0.19% +0.04% Total votes 4,445,535 100.00% N/A Democratic hold- Hung Cao on Twitter
