In the wake of a sudden and high‑stakes leadership shake‑up at the Pentagon, Hung Cao has been thrust into the spotlight as Acting Secretary of the Navy at a time of escalating U.S.–Iran tensions during a fragile ceasefire in the war. The Pentagon abruptly announced on Wednesday that Navy Secretary John Phelan was leaving his job and that Cao, the Navy’s second-ranking civilian official and a 25-year Navy combat veteran, would be taking over immediately. The shakeup is notable due to its timing,