NEED TO KNOW

• Cao replaces John Phelan, fired by Hegseth during active Iran naval blockade
• 2023 clip shows Cao claiming witches had "taken over" Monterey, California
• Cao previously claimed 100% combat disability without Purple Heart record

WASHINGTON (TDR) — Hung Cao took over as acting Navy secretary Wednesday as resurfaced video of him warning that "witchcraft" had taken over a California city spread across social media.

The big picture: The clip is a distraction from the harder question — why the Navy's civilian leadership changed hands during the most consequential U.S. naval operation in a decade.

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• Cao, a 25-year Navy veteran, takes over from John Phelan, a financier fired by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
• The Navy is currently enforcing a blockade of Iranian ports and operating around the Strait of Hormuz

Why it matters: Civilian control of the military depends on the judgment and credibility of the person holding the chair — especially during combat operations.

• 31 vessels have been redirected and two ships boarded under the Iran blockade Cao now oversees
• The Navy's acting chief inherits decisions affecting 20% of global oil shipments

Driving the news: Phelan's removal was abrupt, and the video circulating about his replacement is from an on-camera interview — not a leaked recording.

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• Phelan departed "effective immediately" with no reason given by the Pentagon
• Trump reportedly told Hegseth to "take care of it" after frustration with shipbuilding pace
• Cao's 2023 interview with Sean Feucht resurfaced within hours of the announcement
• Cao claimed Monterey was "a very dark place" overrun by the Wiccan community

What they're saying: The official Pentagon line and the public record are not aligned on what kind of leader Cao is.

• Sean Parnell, Chief Pentagon Spokesman — "Undersecretary Hung Cao will become Acting Secretary of the Navy."
• Business Insider reported there was "little evidence" any Wiccan takeover occurred in Monterey
• Senior defense official to CNN — "President Trump and Secretary Hegseth agreed new leadership at the Navy is needed."

Yes, but: Cao's military résumé is real — 25 years as a special operations officer — and the witchcraft clip is three years old from a failed campaign, not a current policy statement. Separating campaign rhetoric from fitness for command is a fair standard, and one Democrats have asked voters to apply to their own nominees.

• Cao was Senate-confirmed as undersecretary on October 1, 2025
• The acting role does not require a new confirmation vote

Between the lines: No other outlet is naming the USA Today reporting that undercut Cao's combat narrative — a sharper accountability issue than a viral clip. Cao claimed during his Senate run to be "100% disabled" from being "blown up in combat many times," but records show no Purple Heart and no Combat Action Ribbon — decorations standard for injury by enemy action. He declined to clarify.

• The factual challenges to Cao's own service claims drew less coverage than the witchcraft remark
• Both Phelan and his Navy chief of staff had zero prior military experience

What's next:

• Senate confirmation required if Cao is formally nominated as secretary
• Navy operations around Iran continue under acting leadership
• Pentagon has not indicated a timeline for a permanent replacement

If a governor said witches had taken over an American city, would you accept that as campaign color — or disqualifying judgment? Does the answer change when the same person is running the Navy?

Sources

This report was compiled using information from USNI News, CNN, NPR, Al Jazeera, and Mediaite

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