**Businessman John Phelan Selected by Trump for Navy Secretary Role**

In an unconventional move, President-elect Donald Trump has chosen businessman and investor John Phelan, who has no prior military experience, to serve as the next secretary of the Navy. If confirmed, Phelan would be the first individual in 15 years to lead the Navy without a background in the armed forces.

Phelan expressed his gratitude for the nomination in a statement to NBC News, though he refrained from providing additional comments. Trump's announcement, made on Tuesday night, highlighted Phelan’s impressive track record, particularly his role in founding and managing Rugger Management LLC, a private investment firm based in Palm Beach, Florida. Trump praised Phelan as a "tremendous force" for naval servicemembers and a dedicated proponent of his "America First" vision, stating that Phelan would prioritize the interests of the U.S. Navy.

Should he take on the role, Phelan will oversee an extensive workforce exceeding 900,000 personnel and manage an annual budget surpassing $210 billion. This appointment marks a significant departure from tradition, as the past eight Navy secretaries since 2009 have all been veterans of the Navy, Marine Corps, Army, or Coast Guard. According to the Military Times, 20 out of the last 26 confirmed Navy secretaries over the past 70 years were veterans.

Phelan would be succeeding Carlos Del Toro, who served in the Navy for over 20 years, including multiple tours of duty at sea. President-elect Trump has also named Pete Hegseth, a combat veteran and former Fox News host, as his nominee for secretary of defense. Hegseth's military background includes service as a captain in the Army National Guard, with deployments in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.