The Senate has confirmed John Phelan, an investor who pledged to compensate for his lack of military experience with his business prowess, as the new secretary of the Navy.
Phelan, 61, was approved on Monday in a 62–30 vote to lead the Department of the Navy, which also oversees the U.S. Marine Corps. Along with 51 Republicans, 11 Democrats voted to support his nomination, including Senate Armed Services Committee ranking member Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and committee members Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.).
Phelan is co-founder and chairman of Rugger Management, a private investment firm based in Palm Beach, Florida, and a major donor to President Donald Trump’s 2024 reelection campaign. He was one of Trump’s earliest defense picks, second only to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth….