🚨 Update: Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) stands alone among Republicans in opposing Trump’s pick, Hung Cao, for the position of Under Secretary of the Navy.
On October 1, 2025, the U.S. Senate confirmed Hung Cao as the Under Secretary of the Navy in a 52–45 vote. While the majority of Republicans supported the nomination, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska cast the sole dissenting Republican vote. Her opposition highlights her independent stance within the GOP, especially on defense and military appointments.
Hung Cao, a retired Navy captain and former Republican Senate candidate in Virginia, was nominated by President Donald Trump for the position. Cao’s military background and previous political experience were central to his nomination. However, his confirmation was not without controversy. During his Senate campaign, Cao criticized the Department of Defense’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and opposed a Navy recruiting program that featured a drag-performing petty officer. These positions drew criticism from some lawmakers and advocacy groups.
Senator Murkowski’s vote against Cao’s confirmation is consistent with her history of bipartisan decision-making. Known for her independent approach, Murkowski has previously opposed party-line nominations, including voting against Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court in 2018 and against accelerating Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation in 2020. In 2022, she voted to confirm Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, demonstrating her willingness to cross party lines on judicial appointments.
The confirmation of Hung Cao as Under Secretary of the Navy is a significant development in the Trump administration’s military appointments. While Cao’s confirmation was ultimately successful, Senator Murkowski’s lone dissent underscores the complexities and divisions within the Republican Party on defense-related issues. Her vote serves as a reminder of the importance of individual judgment and the role of senators in providing advice and consent on presidential nominations.
