John Phelan, a Republican mega donor and fine art collector, has been nominated by Donald Trump to serve as Secretary of the Navy despite having no prior military experience.
Democrats may seize on this in confirmation hearings, as a military background is common among those who serve the high-level post but it’s clear Trump likes Phelan’s experience in the private equity game.
‘John will be a tremendous force for our Naval Servicemembers, and a steadfast leader in advancing my America First vision. He will put the business of the U.S. Navy above all else,’ the president-elect said in a statement.
Phelan co-founded MSD Capital, the private investment firm for Michael Dell, the founder and CEO of Dell Technologies.
He also is the found and chairman of Florida-based private investment firm Rugger Management LLC.
‘His Record of Success speaks for itself – A true Champion of American Enterprise and Ingenuity. John’s intelligence and leadership are unmatched.’
Phelan and his wife Amy – who own a $38 million estate in Aspen, Colorado – spend much of their money collecting art pieces, as they own several pieces by Picasso, Andy Warhol, Basquiat and many other classic and modern artists, according to The Art Newspaper.
The family have also been steadfast backers of Trump: Phelan gave $834,600 in April to Trump’s joint fundraising committee, according to FEC filings.
John Phelan, a Republican mega donor and fine art collector, has been nominated by Donald Trump to serve as Secretary of the Navy despite having no prior military experience
Phelan’s family have also been steadfast backers of Trump: Phelan gave $834,600 in April to Trump’s joint fundraising committee, according to FEC filings
He’s also donated to various GOP state parties throughout the 2024 election cycle as Republicans took back the Senate and kept the House.
The Phelans hosted Trump for an August fundraiser at their Colorado home where Trump warned his backers that if he were to lose to Kamala Harris it ‘could be the last election we ever have,’ The Guardian reported.
A Coral Gables, Florida native, Phelan graduated Southern Methodist University and got an MBA from Harvars.
He and his wife have a daughter, socialite Makenzie Moon Phelan and he sits on the board of several museums.
‘John’s intelligence and leadership are unmatched,’ Trump said. ‘John holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School, and is a truly brilliant guy! His incredible knowledge and experience will elevate the lives of the brave Americans who serve our Nation.’
It’s unclear what Phelan’s plans are for the Navy, which is currently run by Carlos Del Toro, a retired Navy officer, under Joe Biden.
It is believed two more traditional Trump loyalist – including Congressman and former medical adviser Dr. Ronny Jackson and departing Rep. Mike Garcia of California – were the other candidates for the job.
Trump is said to have held a round of interviews at Mar-a-Lago Monday that included Phelan, according to Politico.
A Coral Gables, Florida native, Phelan graduated Southern Methodist University and got an MBA from Harvars. He and his wife have a daughter, socialite Makenzie Moon Phelan and he sits on the board of several museums
The Phelans hosted Trump for an August fundraiser at their Colorado home where Trump warned his backers that if he were to lose to Kamala Harris it ‘could be the last election we ever have’
Five different men served as either secretary or acting secretary during Trump’s first term, all of whom had some sort of Naval or military background. Law requires that any Naval Secretary be a civilian when nominated with at least five years outside the service.
The last head of the Navy to have no prior military experience was Donald C. Winter, who served under George W. Bush from 2006 to 2009.
The president-elect and some of his nominees have stated a desire to rid the military of ‘wokeness.’
Those include controversial would be Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
Trump is reportedly planning to create a ‘warrior board’ of retired ex-military personnel to weed out ‘woke generals’ deemed unfit for leadership.
The president-elect’s transition team is said to be considering a draft executive order with the power to review three and four-star officers they find ‘lacking in requisite leadership qualities’, according to the draft seen by the Wall Street Journal.
During his campaign for re-election, Donald Trump vowed to purge the military of so-called ‘woke’ generals, going so far as to suggest his critic and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley, could be executed for treason.
Current and former U.S. officials say Trump will prioritize loyalty in his second term and root out military officers and career civil servants he perceives to be disloyal.
As commander in chief, Trump will have the power to fire any officer at will from January. But an outside board would allow him to sidestep the Pentagon’s usual system of promotion, suggesting a looming purge, the WSJ notes.
There have also been rumors that Trump will once again ban transgender people from serving in the military, though the transition team put the brakes on the idea for the time being Monday.
Phelan’s position requires a simple majority, or a 50-50 split with a tiebreak from Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, in the Senate to go through.
The Republican Party has 53 seats in the upcoming Senate to the Democrats’ 47.
