John Phelan (businessman)
John Phelan | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2025 | |
| 79th United States Secretary of the Navy | |
| Assumed office March 25, 2025 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | Victor Minella (acting) Brett Seidle (acting) |
| Preceded by | Carlos Del Toro |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1964 (age 60–61) |
| Political party | Republican |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | Southern Methodist University (BA) Harvard University (MBA) |
John Phelan (born 1964) is an American businessman, art collector, and government official currently serving as the 79th United States secretary of the Navy under President Donald Trump.[1]
Education
[edit]Phelan earned a bachelor's degree in economics and political science from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas in 1986,[2] and an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1990.[3]
Career
[edit]He is the co-founding partner and chief investment officer of MSD Capital, a private investment company established in 1998 to manage the capital of Michael Dell.[3]
Phelan is the co-founder and chairman of Rugger Management LLC, a private investment company based in Palm Beach, Florida.[2]
In 2000, Phelan met his future wife Amy, then a management services and systems engineering consultant in Dallas, on a blind date.[4] They have a daughter, Makenzie Moon Phelan, who is a New York City–based artist and socialite.[5]
In August 2024, John and Amy Phelan hosted a private fundraising dinner for Trump at their $38 million home in Aspen, Colorado, with guests including Steve Wynn, Thomas Peterffy, Greg Abbott, Byron Donalds, Lauren Boebert and Cory Gardner.[6] The guests donated between $25,000 and $500,000 each during the dinner.[7]
United States Secretary of the Navy
[edit]Nomination and confirmation
[edit]On November 27, 2024, president-elect Donald Trump announced Phelan as his nominee for United States secretary of the Navy.[1]
On February 27, 2025, he had his confirmation hearing before the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services. During the hearing, some senators including Elizabeth Warren inquired on his alleged lack of qualifications to lead the Navy due to him never serving in the military,[8] while others like Senator Roger Wicker praised him.[9]
He was confirmed by the Senate on March 24, 2025[10] and sworn in on March 25, 2025.[11]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Chan, Melissa (November 27, 2024). "Trump picks John Phelan, a businessman with no military experience, to be secretary of the Navy". NBC News. Archived from the original on March 19, 2025. Retrieved March 31, 2025.
- ^ a b "John Phelan '86". Southern Methodist University. Archived from the original on March 19, 2025. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- ^ a b "Introducing John Phelan". London School of Economics. Archived from the original on January 21, 2025. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- ^ Martel, Judy (November 1, 2022). "Amy Phelan's Wonderful, Art-Filled World". Palm Beach Illustrated. Archived from the original on January 26, 2025. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- ^ Vales, Ariadne (April 12, 2019). "Over the Moon with Makenzie Moon Phelan". The Extravagant. Archived from the original on December 29, 2024. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- ^ Smith, David (October 4, 2024). "Donald Trump's foul-mouthed migrant rant captured in private pitch to donors". The Guardian. ISSN 1756-3224. OCLC 60623878. Archived from the original on March 6, 2025. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- ^ Smith, David (October 4, 2024). "Donald Trump's foul-mouthed migrant rant captured in private pitch to donors". The Guardian. Retrieved April 21, 2025.
- ^ "'This Makes Me Uneasy': Elizabeth Warren Questions Navy Secretary Nominee During Senate Hearing". Slingshot News. February 27, 2025. Archived from the original on March 31, 2025. Retrieved March 13, 2025 – via MSN.
- ^ "Chairman Wicker Leads SASC Hearing on Secretary of the Navy Nominee John Phelan". wicker.senate.gov. February 27, 2025. Archived from the original on March 10, 2025. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
- ^ "PN12-36 — John Phelan — Department of Defense". Congress.gov. Archived from the original on March 17, 2025. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
- ^ "Honorable John Phelan Sworn in as 79th Secretary of the Navy at National Archives". United States Navy. March 25, 2025. Archived from the original on March 28, 2025. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
- 1964 births
- Living people
- 21st-century American businesspeople
- American company founders
- American investors
- Businesspeople from Florida
- Chief investment officers
- Florida Republicans
- Harvard Business School alumni
- Private equity and venture capital investors
- Southern Methodist University alumni
- Second Trump administration personnel
- United States secretaries of the navy