Hung Cao, who was confirmed as Under Secretary of the Navy in October 2025 in a 52-45 Senate vote, became acting Secretary of the Navy on April 22, 2026, after Secretary John Phelan abruptly departed the Trump administration. Within hours, video resurfaced of Cao making a racist “joke” about the Ku Klux Klan during his unsuccessful 2024 Virginia Senate campaign.
In a 2024 appearance on Steve Bannon's “War Room,” anticipating he would be labeled a white supremacist for his immigration views, Cao said: “When you give my hood, make sure it's got the little slits and not the circles, so I can see better.” The clip resurfaced widely on April 23, 2026 — the day after he took over the Navy — and was covered by The New Republic, The Daily Beast, and IBTimes UK.
This is not the only resurfacing controversy. Cao has previously claimed on video that “witchcraft” is taking over America. He has made claims about combat injuries that lack corresponding military decorations, prompting questions about his service record that he has answered defensively.
The “KKK hood” comment was publicly known during Cao's October 2025 confirmation hearing for the Under Secretary post. Republican senators voted to confirm him anyway. He now leads the Navy at a moment when the United States is at war with Iran, has imposed a contested blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, has lost an F-15E Strike Eagle and other aircraft over Iranian territory, and has 50,000+ U.S. troops deployed in the region.
The Pentagon has not commented on the resurfaced video. Trump has not commented on Cao's promotion or on the KKK remark.