John Phelan Confirmed as Secretary of the Navy
Phelan will provide civilian oversight of a branch of the U.S. military without any prior service in the armed forces.
Earlier today, Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, published a bombshell story about being added to a Signal group chat alongside the country’s top national security officials to talk about active military operations. And then, the U.S. Senate held a confirmation vote on another official nominated by President Donald Trump to serve in the Pentagon.
In a 62-30 vote, John Phelan was confirmed as Secretary of the Navy. The position has been held by an acting official since January 2025, when Carlos Del Toro resigned after serving since August 2021.
11 Democrats and one Independent joined 50 Republicans in approving Phelan’s nomination. 30 Democrats voted in opposition. Eight Senators did not vote.
Phelan was nominated to this position by Trump in November 2024. Once sworn into office, he will become the first person in 15 years to lead the Navy without any service in any branch of the armed forces.
Phelan is the founder of the private equity firm Rugger Management LLC based in Palm Beach, Florida. He previously served as the Chairman and Chief Investment Office of MSD Capital, which oversaw the fortune of Dell Technologies founder Michael Dell. He also currently serves on the board of the non-profit Spirit of America, which supports American troops abroad.