Bulwark Takes — “Trump’s Pick to Lead the Navy Is a Walking Red Flag”
Podcast: Bulwark Takes
Date: April 25, 2026
Host: Sam Stein (Managing Editor at The Bulwark)
Guest: Jared Polin (Bulwark research, video, and archives)
Theme: The controversial appointment of Hung Cao as acting Navy Secretary by Donald Trump
Episode Overview
This episode unpacks the whirlwind replacement of the U.S. Navy Secretary by the Trump administration, focusing on the new acting Secretary, Hung Cao. Sam Stein and Jared Polin explore Cao’s background, his rise, and—most importantly—his extensive record of public statements and interviews, many of which the hosts argue display extreme, conspiratorial, or outlandish views. The episode features direct audio clips from Cao, offering listeners a closer look at his ideology and style.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Background on the Navy Secretary Shakeup
[02:27–04:20]
- Trump abruptly fired previous Navy Secretary John Phelan, a Trump donor and personal friend, due to dissatisfaction with the speed of Navy shipbuilding.
- Pete Hegseth, a Trump loyalist, pushed for Phelan’s ousting.
- Hung Cao, former Navy officer and unsuccessful political candidate, is named acting Navy Secretary.
- Irony: Trump chose Hegseth’s side over a longtime friend/donor.
2. Hung Cao’s Personal and Professional History
[04:20–06:17]
- Born in South Vietnam (1971), Cao came to the U.S. as a refugee at age 4.
- Benefited from birthright citizenship (his sister born in U.S.—allowed the family to escape Saigon).
- Attended the U.S. Naval Academy; later served in Navy recovery operations (notably JFK Jr. crash).
- Multiple runs for office: U.S. House (2022), Senate (2024); both unsuccessful.
Quote
“He benefited from birthright citizenship, which is the exact thing that Donald Trump currently is writing thousand word bleats... because he believes they will rule against him in his efforts to get rid of birthright citizenship. I believe they call that irony.”
— Sam Stein [05:19]
3. The Greatest Hits: Hung Cao in His Own Words
NOTE: Most source clips are 2022–2024 campaign appearances.
a. Gender & Masculinity Takes
[06:51–07:01]
-
Quote:
“If you pee standing up, you’re a man. If you pee sitting down, you’re a woman. And, you know, it’s just really quite that simple.”
— Hung Cao (clip) [06:51] -
Commentary: Hosts mock the simplistic, “alpha” framing.
b. The ‘Alpha Male’ Obsession
[07:29–07:57]
- Quote:
“We need the alpha males and alpha females... the young men and women that are going to rip out their own guts and eat them and ask for seconds. That’s what we need. We need warriors. Look, I don’t care what your pronouns are... Not TikTok influencers or anything else.”
— Hung Cao (clip) [07:29] - Discussion: Host notes repeated, cartoonish invocation of “alpha” rhetoric and linking military fitness to masculinity.
c. Extreme Comments on Immigration and Agriculture
[08:48–09:00]
- Quote:
“If they find an illegal alien sleeping [in] the field, they must burn that entire field because they don’t know if that person brings any communicable diseases.”
— Hung Cao (clip) [08:48] - Host & guest: Immediately question the veracity, call it “highly dubious.”
d. Responding to Racism with Racist Rhetoric
[09:37–09:47]
- Quote:
“I know I’ll be attacked by left and called a white supremacist, but I have one ask for them. When you give me my hood, make sure it’s got the little slits and not the circles so I can see better.”
— Hung Cao (clip) [09:37] - Commentary: Host derides the “joke” as tasteless; Bannon’s audience loves it.
e. Conspiratorial Fear of Witches & Wiccans
[10:34–10:55]
- Quote:
“Monterey is a very dark place now. A lot of witchcraft and... the Wiccan community has really taken over there. And we can’t let that happen in Virginia.”
— Hung Cao (clip) [10:34] - Hosts skewer the absurdity of “Wiccan takeover” claims.
f. Vietnam, Communism, and Ukraine
[11:33–11:46]
- Quote:
“As a Vietnamese refugee, I will kill a communist every day and twice on Sunday. The problem is... what does victory look like in Ukraine?”
— Hung Cao (clip) [11:33] - Hosts note he's opposed to U.S. aid to Ukraine, aligning with current administration trends.
g. America vs. NATO
[12:23–12:34]
- Quote:
“Things like NATO—you know what NATO stands for? It says Needs Americans To Operate. You know, they need us, we don’t need them.”
— Hung Cao (clip) [12:23] - Discussion: Rhetoric mirrors Trump’s broader skepticism of alliances.
h. Drag Queens and the Military
[13:16–13:40]
- Quote:
“We don’t need drag queens... in the Navy because we’re looking for the alpha males and alpha females who are going to rip out their own guts, eat them, and ask for seconds.”
— Hung Cao (clip) [13:16] - Sam Stein: “It’s like the platonic ideal of a Republican talking point circa 2024.” [13:40]
- Polin: Jokes about Hung Cao’s “obsession” with gut-eating metaphors.
i. ICE and Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric
[14:54–15:04]
- Quote:
“Are you better off today than you were four years ago? I mean, if your answer is yes, then you’re probably an illegal alien. And I’m going to call ICE on you.”
— Hung Cao (clip) [14:54] - Host comments: “Just cruel.” [15:04]
- Irony again: Cao’s family was saved by US immigration policy.
4. Thematic Takeaways
- Pattern: Cao’s public comments often mix hyper-masculine rhetoric and “anti-woke” politics with conspiracy and prejudice—from gender policing to Wiccan paranoia.
- Political Alignment: His positions mimic and sometimes intensify common Trumpist and Pete Hegseth themes: skepticism of NATO, anti-immigrant posturing, disdain toward inclusivity in the military.
- Irony: Despite personally benefitting from U.S. immigration policies, Cao takes a hardline anti-immigrant stance.
Quote
“I think him and Pete Heath are going to get along great.”
— Jared Polin [15:12]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
“Nothing says alpha male like being scared to pee sitting down.”
— Jared Polin [07:01] -
“I don’t know what his obsession is with people who rip their guts out, but he said this on multiple occasions.”
— Jared Polin [13:45] -
“His family benefited from birthright citizenship... and he ran for office on vehemently anti-immigrant platforms.”
— Sam Stein [13:59]
Timestamps for Key Segments
| Segment | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------|---------------| | Firing of Phelan & Appointment | 02:27–04:20 | | Cao’s Biography & Ironies | 04:20–06:17 | | Pee Standing Up Rant | 06:51–07:01 | | Alpha Males in the Military | 07:29–07:57 | | Burning Crops for “Illegals” | 08:48–09:00 | | Ku Klux Klan “Joke” | 09:37–09:47 | | Wiccan Conspiracy | 10:34–10:55 | | Anti-Ukraine, Anti-Commie | 11:33–11:46 | | NATO Acronym Explained | 12:23–12:34 | | Drag Queens and “Guts” | 13:16–13:40 | | ICE Threat Against Immigrants | 14:54–15:04 |
Final Reflections
The episode paints Hung Cao as a vivid exemplar of Trump-era populism, prone to outlandish, hard-right talking points. Hosts Sam Stein and Jared Polin mix humor with alarm, highlighting both the absurdity and potential dangers of such rhetoric now elevated into a top military appointment. Despite his immigrant success story, Cao’s public stances reflect a deep hostility to the pluralism and policies from which he himself benefited.
High-level takeaway:
Cao’s track record—replete with conspiracy, bigotry, and an aggressive “alpha” persona—raises serious questions about the Trump administration’s priorities for military leadership.