On Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced that he chose Philip Bilden, a former military intelligence officer and Naval War College cybersecurity leader, as his nominee for Secretary of the Navy. If confirmed, Bilden will be the 76th Secretary of the Navy.
President Donald Trump said that Bilden will be the perfect person to held rebuild and expand the Navy.
“As secretary of the Navy, Philip Bilden will apply his terrific judgement and top-notch management skills to the task of rebuilding our unparalleled Navy,” the President said. “Our number of ships is at the lowest point that it has been in decades. Philip Bilden is the right choice to help us expand and modernize our fleet, including surface ships, submarines and aircraft, and ensure America’s naval supremacy for decades to come. I am proud of the men and women of our armed forces. The people who serve in our military are our American heroes, and we honor their service every day.”
Bilden said that he was “deeply humbled and honored” to be the President’s pick to lead the Navy, and that he would ensure that those he oversees have the necessary resources to get the job done.
“I am deeply humbled and honored to serve as secretary of the Navy,” Bilden said. “Maintaining the strength, readiness, and capabilities of our maritime force is critical to our national security. If confirmed, I will ensure that our sailors and Marines have the resources they need to defend our interests around the globe and support our allies with commitment and capability.”
Secretary of Defense James Mattis released a statement following the President’s announcement, offering praise not only to Bilden for Navy Secretary, but also to the nominated Secretaries of the Air Force and Army, Heather Wilson and Vinnie Viola.
“All three of these nominees have my utmost confidence,” Mattis said. “They will provide strong civilian leadership to strengthen military readiness, gain full value from every taxpayer dollar spent on defense, and support our service members, civilians, and their families. I appreciate the willingness of these three proven leaders to serve our country. They had my full support during the selection process, and they will have my full support during the Senate confirmation process.”
Bilden graduated from Georgetown University as a Distinguished Military Graduate, U.S. Army ROTC, and earned the President’s Cup as the top graduate in the corps. He serves on the Board of Visitors of Georgetown University School of Foreign Service; the Asia Pacific Advisory Board and Dean’s Board of Advisors of Harvard Business School; the Board of Directors of the United States Naval Academy Foundation; and serves as the inaugural Chairman of the Center for Cyber Conflict Studies at the Naval War College Foundation where is he on the Board of Trustees. Bilden has also spent three decades working for an investment management firm he co-founded.
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