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John Phelan (businessman)
American government official (born 1964) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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John Cartwright Phelan (born 1964) is an American businessman currently serving as the 79th United States secretary of the Navy under President Donald Trump.
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Education
Phelan earned a bachelor's degree in economics and political science from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, in 1986,[1] and an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1990.[3] While he was an undergraduate, he studied abroad in London and took classes at the London School of Economics.[4]
Career
Business
He is the co-founding partner and chief investment officer of MSD Capital, a private investment company established in 1998 to manage the capital of Michael Dell.[3][5]
In 2022, Phelan resigned as CEO of MSD and founded Rugger Management LLC, a private investment company based in Palm Beach, Florida.[1][6]
Fundraising
The Phelans regularly host fundraising events at their homes in Palm Beach and Aspen. In 2022, they hosted a fundraiser for amfAR that raised $5.3 million.[7] In August 2024, they hosted a private fundraising dinner for Trump; the guests, who included Steve Wynn, Thomas Peterffy, Greg Abbott, Byron Donalds, Lauren Boebert and Cory Gardner,[8] donated between $25,000 and $500,000 apiece.[9]
Phelan contributed to Trump's presidential campaigns.[5]
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Secretary of the Navy
On November 27, 2024, president-elect Trump announced Phelan as his nominee-to-be for United States Secretary of the Navy.[10] Many noted his complete lack of experience with the Navy, the military, national-security policy, and the defense industry. "Not all service secretaries come into the office with prior military experience, but he’d be the first in the Navy since 2006," the Associated Press reported.[11]
Phelan testified before the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services on February 27, 2025.[12] He was confirmed with bipartisan support by a vote of 62-30 on March 24, 2025,[13] and sworn in as the 79th Secretary of the Navy the next day.[14]
Family and personal life
In 2000, Phelan met his future wife Amy on a blind date. A former cheerleader for the Dallas Cowboys, Amy was working as a management services and systems engineering consultant in Dallas.[7][5][15] They have a daughter, Makenzie Moon Phelan, who is a New York City–based artist and socialite.[16]
John and Amy Phelan have a home in Aspen, Colorado, where they display part of their art collection.[17] They also have a home in Palm Beach with more of their art collection, including works by Andy Warhol and Willem de Kooning.[7]
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References
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