Trump appoints Paul Dabbar, Hung Cao to positions within administration

President Donald Trump filled two more roles within his administration late Thursday by announcing who will be serving as deputy secretary of commerce and under secretary of the Navy.

Trump selected former Virginia congressional candidate, Hung Cao, to serve as the next under secretary of the Navy and former under secretary of energy for science, Paul Dabbar, to serve as deputy secretary of commerce.

The president congratulated both men, who are Navy veterans and graduates of the United States Naval Academy, in separate Truth Social posts Thursday night.

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President Donald Trump appointed Hung Cao to under secretary of the Navy and Paul Dabbar to deputy secretary of commerce late Thursday. (Evan Vucci/AP)

Cao, who came to the U.S. in 1975 after his family escaped Vietnam shortly before the fall of Saigon, most recently ran for U.S. Senate in Virginia against Democrat Sen. Tim Kaine during the 2024 election, losing to the incumbent senator. He was endorsed by Trump during the race.

He retired from the Navy as a captain after 25 years in Special Operations. While Cao served in combat roles, he also worked at the Pentagon and was assigned to balancing the Navy’s $140 billion budget.

“Hung is the embodiment of the American Dream. As a refugee to our Great Nation, Hung worked tirelessly to make proud the Country that gave his family a home. He went to our amazing United States Naval Academy, and later earned his Master’s Degree in Physics. Hung served in combat as a Special Operations Officer for twenty five years. With Hung’s experience both in combat, and in the Pentagon, he will get the job done. Congratulations to Hung, and his wonderful family!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Cao thanked the president for selecting him in a post on X and said “let’s get to work.”

Hung Cao ran for U.S. Senate in Virginia against Democrat incumbent Sen. Tim Kaine during the 2024 race. (REUTERS/Brian Snyder)

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Dabbar, who worked in Trump’s Department of Energy during his first term, served in the Navy as a submarine officer and spent years after his military career working in the energy sector as a managing director at J.P. Morgan.

Trump said Dabbar will work with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to “bring back American Leadership in Global Commerce, Trade, and Technology.”

“Paul served as my Under Secretary of Energy for Science, where he lead the National Labs that started as the Manhattan Project, helping to drive semiconductors, AI, quantum, Energy Dominance, and our War-fighting capabilities,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, in part.

Paul Dabbar served during the first Trump administration as the under secretary of energy for science. (Department of Energy)

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The president still has to announce his picks for hundreds of smaller positions, but has nearly rounded out his Cabinet. Of the 22 nominations made that require Senate confirmation, 19 have been confirmed as of Thursday.