In a bureaucratic tango worthy of a political migraine, Admiral Daryl Lane Caudle has finally secured Senate confirmation as the 34th—or is it 35th?—Chief of Naval Operations (CNO).

You see, Admiral Caudle is the 35th Chief of Naval Operations of the United States Navy. The confusion arises because Admiral Lisa Franchetti was the 33rd CNO (November 2023 to February 2025), and Admiral James Kilby served as acting CNO after her removal, before Caudle’s confirmation. Kilby, as acting CNO , does not get an official number. Therefore, Caudle is officially recognized as the 35th CNO. A bit of Navy trivia for you there.

Caudle’s nomination formally landed in the Senate on June 17–18, 2025, when President Donald Trump tapped Caudle for the job, with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegs

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