Daryl Caudle

Daryl Lane Caudle (born 1963) is an American admiral and engineer who has served as the 34th chief of naval operations since 2025.

Caudle was born in North Carolina. He graduated from the Officer Candidate School of the United States Navy in 1985, and holds degrees in the fields of engineering and physics from North Carolina State University, Old Dominion University, the University of Phoenix, and the Naval Postgraduate School. He is also a licensed professional engineer.

He has commanded three submarines. His senior assignments have included Commander, Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet; Vice Director for Strategy, Plans, and Policy on the Joint Staff (J-5) in Washington, D.C.; concurrent terms as Commander, Naval Submarine Forces, Submarine Force Atlantic, and Allied Submarine Command from 2019 to 2021; and Commander, United States Fleet Forces Command, from 2021 to 2025.

Caudle directed air attacks during Operation Inherent Resolve and Operation Odyssey Lightning.

Early life and education Caudle was born in 1963 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from North Carolina State University in 1985. He was commissioned in the Navy after completing his training from Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island. He holds advanced academic degrees from the Naval Postgraduate School where he graduated with distinction with a Master of Science in Physics in 1992 and from Old Dominion University with a Master of Science in engineering management. He also graduated from the School of Advanced Studies, a branch of University of Phoenix, where he obtained his doctor of management in organizational leadership with a specialization in information systems and technology.

On December 4, 2020, the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (CBE) at North Carolina State University awarded him the CBE Distinguished Alumni Award.

Caudle at the change of command ceremony for Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet, in February 2019. In August 2019, Caudle became commander, Naval Submarine Forces; commander, Submarine Force Atlantic; and commander, Allied Submarine Command. In these posts he was responsible for providing strategic guidance for the submarine force, commanding all Atlantic-based submarine forces, and serving as the main advisor to NATO on submarine warfare. He was also in that role during the Navy's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He relinquished command in September 2021.

In July 2021, he was nominated and confirmed for promotion to four-star admiral to succeed Christopher W. Grady as commander of the United States Fleet Forces Command. He became the head of Fleet Forces Command, which provides Navy forces to unified combatant commanders, Caudle relinquished command of U.S. Fleet Forces Command on 6 August 2025; his deputy, Vice Admiral John Gumbleton, succeeded him as acting commander. He became the chief of naval operations on 25 August 2025.

During Caudle's tenure as commander of Fleet Forces Command, his staff allegedly reached out to President Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth to offer his help in preparing Hegseth for the confirmation hearings in front of the Senate to brief him on Atlantic Fleet operations, sea-based deterrence, and the state of shipbuilding. Hegseth did not reply to the alleged offer. This allegation was classified as a breach of military ethics by officials familiar with the matter.

Inspector general investigation In 2025, after his selection as the nominee for Chief of Naval Operations was being staffed, an investigation by the Naval Inspector General commenced into the conduct of Admiral Caudle. The investigation was focusing on comments Caudle had allegedly made a year prior to sailors in regard to the Pentagon's ineffective Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program. Multiple sailors recalled an informal conversation in which Caudle pledged for the program to prioritize prevention in order to improve the program's efficacy and protect sailors from sexual assault. At least one sailor allegedly saw his comments as blaming victims for their sexual assaults.

In response to the investigation and based on recommendations from Navy officials, Caudle hired Timothy Parlatore as counsel. Parlatore, a trial attorney, had previously negiotated a settlement on behalf of Pete Hegseth after accusations of rape against him in 2017. He had also represented President Trump in response to the January 6 attack and the classified documents case.

Tenure Caudle receives a Japanese honor guard during his visit to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, in November 2025. In November 2025 Caudle went on a 10-day tour of the Asia-Pacific, visiting U.S. bases in the region and allied shipyards in South Korea and Japan. The purpose of the tour was to examine the living conditions for sailors and to explore cooperation with allied countries to assist the U.S. shipbuilding industry.

In February 2026 Caudle released the U.S. Navy Fighting Instructions, a framework of his strategic vision for the development of the Navy.

In the Secretary of Defense Orders Book of 14 August 2026, Caudle informed Hegseth that the Navy is not capable of sustaining its deployments in the war against Iran. He added that the prolonged deployment for the Iran war has reduced the readiness of the Navy's ships, with only a quarter of its destroyer force ready to deploy, and its capability to respond to potential conflicts elsewhere.

Awards and decorations

Dates of promotion

Personal life Caudle is married to Donna Caudle, with whom he has two daughters, two stepdaughters, three grandsons, and two granddaughters. Two of his sons-in-law are active duty military, one in the Navy and one in the Marine Corps. He lives in Washington, DC.