Trump's Pick To Run Navy Has No Military Experience

Friday, November 29, 2024

Donald Trump has tapped a GOP megadonor with no military experience to head up the U.S. Navy in his latest slew of cabinet picks.

Posted by reinheitsgebot at 01:33 PM | 27 COMMENTS | permalink

Comments

This is America by Mafioso Government... all the best positions of power are bought and paid for by both money and loyalty.

Trumpers must be SO proud of what they've done to destroy democracy, freedom, and the rule of law in what used to be America.

#1 | Posted by Corky at 2024-11-28 10:20 AM

Ooooo, me likee boats, me be the Sec. of the Boat stuff, cause me good MAGAt.

Me get big boats to order around. Me so qualified. Everybody who sail all my boats be my flunkie. I tell them what to do.

Me bigshot. No Woke in my boat land.

...John Fail-on. MAGAt boat boss of all Boaty Mc'Boatfaces.

#2 | Posted by Wardog at 2024-11-28 10:48 AM

According to the U.S. Code, the secretary of the Navy shall be appointed "from among persons most highly qualified for the position by reason of background and experience."

625 4-star flag officers in the US military and none of them have enough money to run the Navy. Sad.

#3 | Posted by REDIAL at 2024-11-28 11:31 AM

And people wonder why career military hates him.

#4 | Posted by Corky at 2024-11-28 12:49 PM

And people wonder why career military hates him.

The guy he's replacing has an electrical engineering degree from the United States Naval Academy, a Masters in national security studies from the Naval War College, a Masters in legislative affairs from George Washington University, and was a USN Surface Warfare Officer for 22 years.

But he's not rich. Nor is his daughter an "NYC-based artist and socialite".

#5 | Posted by REDIAL at 2024-11-28 01:09 PM

The Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) is responsible for the Department of the Navy, which includes the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. The SECNAV's duties include:
Managing the Department of the Navy
The SECNAV is responsible for all aspects of the Department of the Navy, including recruiting, organizing, supplying, equipping, training, mobilizing, and demobilizing.
Overseeing construction, repair, and outfitting
The SECNAV oversees the construction, repair, and outfitting of naval ships, equipment, and facilities.
Formulating and implementing policies
The SECNAV develops and implements policies and programs that align with the president and secretary of defense's national security objectives.
Leading the Council of Review Boards
The SECNAV leads the Council of Review Boards, which includes the Physical Evaluation Board, Combat-Related Special Compensation Board, Naval Discharge Review Board, and Naval Complaints Review Board.
Managing Manpower and Reserve Affairs
The SECNAV oversees the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, Office of Force Resiliency, Naval Education, and more.

Phelan, an art collector, is the co-founder of MSD Capital and the head of private investment firm Rugger Management.

#6 | Posted by truthhurts at 2024-11-28 01:15 PM

Donors like this used to get a plum ambassadorship.

#7 | Posted by mattm at 2024-11-28 01:58 PM

Donors like this used to get a plum ambassadorship.

Ambassadorships will be going to right-wing podcasters this time around.

#8 | Posted by REDIAL at 2024-11-28 02:04 PM

And when the country actually crumbles, MAGA morons will do anything but blame themselves.

#9 | Posted by jpw at 2024-11-28 07:34 PM

Only the best.

#10 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2024-11-29 06:19 AM

Um, this is normal. It's relatively rare to have a service secretary with military experience.

#11 | Posted by madbomber at 2024-11-29 09:50 AM

Mad, generally I don't dispute you but I looked up the records of several of the recent Sec. of the Navy. 4 of 5 had military service. The one that didn't had extensive experience, leading the Red Cross, Under secretary to someone in the army, advance degrees in management, a worthy resume in my view.
Susan Livingston - FTA - From 1981 to 1989, Mrs. Livingstone served at the Veterans Administration, now the Department of Veterans Affairs, in a number of positions including Associate Deputy Administrator for Logistics and the Associate Deputy Administrator for Management. Prior to her Executive Branch service, Mrs. Livingstone worked for more than nine years in the Legislative branch on the personal staffs of both a Senator and two Congressmen.

www.history.navy.mil

#12 | Posted by mattm at 2024-11-29 11:07 AM

smh
This is just the beginning; yet another Trump administration filled with grifters, donors, and incompetents, but this time filled with people with antipathy to the post they will be serving.

Think Betsy DeVos times 100.

#13 | Posted by e1g1 at 2024-11-29 03:39 PM

#12

Interesting. Lety's look at SECAF.

1. Frank Kendall (current), retired Army Lt Col.
2. John Roth. No Service
3. Barbara Barrett. No Service
4. Matthew Donovan. Retired as a senior AF officer.
5. Heather Wilson. No service
6. Lisa Dubrow. Retired as an Air Force Colonel.
7. Deborah Lee James. No Service
8. Eric Fanning. No service.
9. Michael Donnely. 3 years of service in the Army, 1972-1975. No mention in his record of whether he was officer or enlisted, but probobaly enlisted based on the short term of the contract.
10. Michael Wynne. 7 years of service as an officer.
11. Pete Garen. No service
12. Michael Dominguez. 5 years of service as an officer
13. Michael Montelongo. 20 years of service as an officer.
14. Peter -----. No service
15. James Roche. Retired as a Navy Captain
16. F. Whitten Peters. 3 years as a Navy Officer.
17. Sheila Widnall. No Service.

#14 | Posted by madbomber at 2024-11-30 03:22 AM

Leans to experience in the field - Trump's choice has ... zero.

#15 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2024-11-30 06:34 AM

I notice that after this pick, and other quite antagonistic toward a powerful military, Putin was spouting off with all manner of best wishes for Trump. One wonders just who Trump has alliances with, goodness knows Mattis and Kelly and the rest don't trust Trump any more than they trust Putin.

#16 | Posted by Hughmass at 2024-11-30 06:43 AM

Civilian control of the military should be Mandatory.

So what if he has no military experience. That's a plus in my book.

The military is full of unimaginative clowns.

#17 | Posted by Effeteposer at 2024-11-30 09:27 AM

Russian military? Yep.

#18 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2024-11-30 11:26 AM

So Effete, you're against Peter Hegseth?

#19 | Posted by mattm at 2024-11-30 01:55 PM

Leans to experience in the field

#15 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2024-11-30 06:34 AM | Reply | Flag

You had to lean into that comment... LOL

#20 | Posted by lfthndthrds at 2024-11-30 06:23 PM

If one wonders just how the Russian military and its internal police force got so bad...step by step the gangsters subverted everything by putting incompetence and acolytes in charge, just like Trump is doing.

#21 | Posted by Hughmass at 2024-12-01 06:44 AM

#21
I'm reading Max Hastings Abyss: The Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962 (www.amazon.com) and the rot that still lies at the heart of Russia's military often comes into play in that saga. A system lying to itself is a recipe for effups. Paraphrasing, one Russian explained at the time. "We're a planned society, not a planning society."

#22 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2024-12-01 07:25 AM

Oh my, you mean appointing a person with no relevant experience ans who's qualificationare large campaign contributions is not a good idea? Who knew?
The Senate's real patriotism will be tested in the approval hearings for most of -------- appointments.

#23 | Posted by danni at 2024-12-01 09:17 AM

625 4-star flag officers in the US military and none of them have enough money to run the Navy. Sad.

#3 | Posted by REDIAL at 2024-11-28 11:31 AM | Reply

It takes that much experience and political ambition to fail 7 audits in a row.

#24 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2024-12-01 09:29 AM

The one that didn't had extensive experience, leading the Red Cross, Under secretary to someone in the army, advance degrees in management, a worthy resume in my view.

#12 | Posted by mattm at 2024-11-29 11:07 AM | Reply | Flag:

That's what this pick has going for him. He runs a private investment firm. That means he's good at analyzing businesses and managing the people doing the grunt work on it. About to top one of the most mismanaged entities, that's part of the most mismanaged entity, in the fed.

#25 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2024-12-01 09:32 AM

"Starve before doing business with the Navy."

Rule #11, Skunk Works, via Kelly Johnson.

#26 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2024-12-01 09:36 AM

"Civilian control of the military should be Mandatory."

The military is "controlled " by the commander in chief. Who is always considered to be a civilian. Even if they were formerly in the military.

#27 | Posted by donnerboy at 2024-12-01 12:47 PM

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