President-elect Donald Trump has chosen John Phelan, a businessman and investor with no military experience, to become the next secretary of the Navy.
Phelan, if confirmed, would be the first person in 15 years to lead the Navy without having served in any branch of the armed forces.
He told NBC News on Wednesday that he was “greatly honored” to be selected by Trump, and confirmed he has not served, but declined to comment further.
In a statement Tuesday night, Trump touted Phelan’s “record of success” and said Phelan has “excelled in every endeavor,” including founding and leading Rugger Management LLC, a private investment firm based in Palm Beach, Florida.
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He also said the Harvard Business School graduate’s “intelligence and leadership are unmatched.”
“John will be a tremendous force for our Naval Servicemembers, and a steadfast leader in advancing my America First vision,” Trump said. “He will put the business of the U.S. Navy above all else.”
As the 79th Navy secretary, Phelan would oversee more than 900,000 people and an annual budget of more than $210 billion.
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The last eight people who have held the title since 2009 had served either in the Navy, Marine Corps, Army or Coast Guard, according to their Naval History and Heritage Command biographies.
Twenty out of 26 people to be confirmed as Navy secretary over the last 70 years were veterans, the Military Times reported.
Carlos Del Toro, whom Phelan would be replacing, had served in the Navy for more than 20 years and had done several tours of duty at sea, his Navy biography says.
On Nov. 12, Trump announced he would nominate Pete Hegseth, a combat veteran and former Fox News host, to be the secretary of defense. Hegseth was a captain in the Army National Guard and served overseas in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.
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