President-elect Donald Trump has tapped an art collector and GOP megadonor with no military experience to lead the U.S. Navy, he announced on Tuesday.
John Phelan is the leader of the private investment firm Rugger management and was a major fundraiser for Trump’s campaign. He donated $834,600 to Trump’s joint fundraising committee in April, FEC filings show, and also hosted a dinner for the president-elect at his $38 million home in Aspen, Colorado, The Guardian reported. The dinner raised $12 million for Trump's campaign.
“John will be a tremendous force for our Naval Servicemembers, and a steadfast leader in advancing my America First vision,” Trump wrote in a statement. “He will put the business of the U.S. Navy above all else.”
Related
Trump selected Phelan after a series of interviews in Mar-a-Lago earlier this week, sources told Politico.
Phelan previously oversaw the firm that handled investments for Michael Dell, the........