President-elect Donald Trump has chosen John Phelan, a businessman and investor with no military experience, as the next secretary of the Navy.
If confirmed, Phelan 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 “very honored” to have been selected by Trump, and confirmed that he did not serve, but declined to comment further.
In a statement Tuesday evening, Trump praised Phelan’s “record of success” and said Phelan “excelled in every endeavor,” including founding and leading Rugger Management LLC, a private investment firm based in Palm Beach, Florida.
He also said the Harvard Business School graduate’s intelligence and leadership are unparalleled.
“John will be a tremendous force for our Navy members, and a steadfast leader in advancing my America First vision,” Trump said. “He will put the business of the United States Navy above all else.”
As secretary of the 79th Navy, Phelan would oversee more than 900,000 people and an annual budget of more than $210 billion.
The last eight people to hold the title since 2009 had served in the Navy, Marine Corps, Army or Coast Guard, according to their Navy History and Heritage Command biographies.
Twenty of the 26 people appointed as secretary of the Navy over the past 70 years were veterans, Military Times reported.
Carlos Del Toro, who would replace Phelan, had served in the Navy for more than 20 years and completed several tours of duty at sea, his Navy biography says.
On November 12, Trump announced he would nominate Pete Hegseth, a combat veteran and former Fox News host, as secretary of defense. Hegseth was a captain in the Army National Guard and served overseas in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
