John Phelan

John Cartwright Phelan (born 1964) is an American businessman and political donor who served as the United States secretary of the Navy from 2025 to 2026. Phelan worked for several firms during his career in finance before co-founding MSD Capital. He then founded Rugger Management. He helped fundraising for Donald Trump's presidential campaigns before being appointed as Secretary of the Navy.

Early life and education

John Cartwright Phelan was born in 1964.

Phelan earned a bachelor's degree in economics and political science, with distinction from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, in 1986.

Fundraising The Phelans regularly host fundraising events at their homes in Palm Beach and Aspen. In 2022, they hosted a fundraiser for amfAR, a foundation for AIDS research, that raised $5.3 million.

In August 2024, the Phelans hosted a private fundraising dinner for then-former president Donald Trump, who was seeking a second term in office; the guests, who included Steve Wynn, Thomas Peterffy, Greg Abbott, Byron Donalds, Lauren Boebert and Cory Gardner, donated between $25,000 and $500,000 apiece.

FEC records show that in 2024, a "'John W. Phelan'[sic.] of MSD Capital in Palm Beach donated $834,600 to Trump’s joint fundraising committee..." and that earlier, a "'John C. Phelan'" of MSD Capital in Palm Beach donated $93,300". The first flight took place on February 27, 2006, from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to London Luton Airport. The manifest for the second flight, from London to New York on March 3, 2006, indicates that Phelan flew with 12 other passengers, including Epstein, modeling agent and Epstein associate Jean-Luc Brunel, and six people whose names are redacted on the version of the manifest released in October 2025 by the United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Secretary of the Navy (2025-2026) On November 27, 2024, president-elect Trump announced Phelan as his nominee-to-be for United States Secretary of the Navy. Some defense experts noted his lack of experience with the Navy, the military, national-security policy, and the defense industry. Phelan testified before the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services on February 27, 2025. He was confirmed with bipartisan support by a vote of 62–30 on March 24, 2025, and sworn in as the 79th Secretary of the Navy the next day.

On April 21, 2026, Phelan presented on use of artificial intelligence by the United States Department of Defense and achieving recruiting targets. Phelan declined to resign and was consequently fired. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell issued a statement saying that Phelan was departing immediately. Phelan was succeeded by Hung Cao, current Under Secretary of the Navy, as the Acting Secretary of the Navy. Phelan had promoted the Trump-class battleship, which Hegseth saw as a distraction from his strategy of smaller, uncrewed ships which increased animosity between the two. Phelan had a closer relationship with Trump than Pentagon leaders expected. Hegseth had already fired Jon Harrison, Phelan's chief of staff, in October 2025.

Personal life In 2000, Phelan met his future wife Amy on a blind date. They have a daughter who is a New York City–based artist and socialite.

John and Amy Phelan own a house in Aspen, Colorado, valued at $38 million; a house in Palm Beach, Florida, valued over $100 million; and an apartment on Park Avenue in New York City.

They have an art collection worth millions of dollars; their Florida house holds works by Andy Warhol and Willem de Kooning.