Carlos Del Toro | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2021 | |
| 78thUnited States Secretary of the Navy | |
| In office August 9, 2021 – January 20, 2025 | |
| President | Joe Biden |
| Deputy | James Geurts (acting) Meredith Berger (acting) Erik Raven Thomas Mancinelli (acting) |
| Preceded by | Kenneth Braithwaite |
| Succeeded by | John Phelan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1961 (age 63–64) Havana, Cuba |
| Spouse | Betty Del Toro |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | United States Naval Academy (BS) Naval Postgraduate School (MS) Naval War College (MA) George Washington University (MPS) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Navy |
| Rank | Commander |
Del Toro opening aSenate Appropriations subcommittee hearing on the FY2024 Navy and Marine Corps posture Recorded March 28, 2023 | |
Carlos Del Toro (born 1961)[1] is aCuban-American entrepreneur and retiredUnited States Navy officer who served as the 78thUnited States secretary of the Navy from 2021 to 2025.[2][3] He is the secondHispanic American to serve as the Secretary of the Navy, afterEdward Hidalgo.[4]
Del Toro was born inHavana,Cuba and immigrated to the United States with his parents as a child. He was raised inHell's Kitchen, Manhattan. Del Toro earned aBachelor of Science degree inelectrical engineering from theUnited States Naval Academy in 1983.[3] Del Toro later earned aMaster of Arts innational security studies from theNaval War College and also a Master of Professional Studies degree in legislative affairs fromGeorge Washington University.[5]
Del Toro was aWhite House Fellow in 1998–1999.
Del Toro served in theUnited States Navy as a Surface Warfare Officer for 22 years, retiring with the rank ofcommander. During his service, Del Toro served in theOffice of the Secretary of Defense and special assistant to the director and deputy director of theOffice of Management and Budget. He was also the commanding officer of theUSSBulkeley.[6]
After retiring from the Navy, Del Toro founded SBG Technology Solutions, Inc., a program management and engineering firm that primarily works with government clients.[7][8][9] In 2007 Del Toro was theDemocratic candidate to represent the 88th District in theVirginia House of Delegates.[10] He lost to Republican incumbent,Mark Cole.[11][12] He served on theUniversity of Mary Washington Board of Visitors from 2014 to 2018.[13][14] From 2019 until 2021, Del Toro sat on the board of directors of theStimson Center, a Washington-based security think tank.[15]
Del Toro's nomination asSecretary of the Navy was announced by PresidentJoe Biden on June 11, 2021[7][8] and received byCongress on June 17.[16] Del Toro's nomination received praise fromArmed Services Committee ChairmanJack Reed, who described the nominee as an "excellent selection."[17]
During a July 13 committee confirmation hearing before theSenate Armed Services Committee, Del Toro received "mostly friendly" questions from senators, although someRepublicans expressed concerns about the size and perceived inadequacy of President Biden'sFY2022defense budget andAmerica's commitment and ability to defend Taiwan amidstrising US–China tensions and a recent American failure to defend the island nation in amilitary simulation.[18][19]
In regard to the budget, Del Toro supported the Navy's plan to field 355 ships by 2030, but noted that the service would require more funds.[19] In regard toTaiwan, Del Toro affirmed his commitment to the island's protection and stated that he would be "exclusively focused on the China threat" and seek to protect American security interests in theIndo-Pacific.[20] Del Toro also expressed an intention to focus onclimate change and modernization efforts.[19][20][21]
On July 27, theSenate Armed Services Committee approved Del Toro's nomination, advancing him to the fullSenate.[16][22][18] On August 7, 2021, his nomination was confirmed byvoice vote.[23] He assumed office on August 9, 2021, and was ceremonially sworn in on August 24, 2021.[24]
In April 2023, theMilitary Religious Freedom Foundation shared a video of a town hall meeting where Del Toro made comments which some observers perceived as homophobic. When asked about combatinghomophobia in the navy, Del Toro said, "The battles that you face... they're defined by your choice to be homosexual." Del Toro's comments were criticized aspromoting homosexuality as a "choice", and also being oblivious to homophobia within the military. Del Toro later said that he had misspoken, was "an unequivocal supporter of theLGBTQ+ community," and was talking about "an individual's decision to share their sexual orientation."[25]
On September 5, 2024, theUnited States Office of Special Counsel announced that it had determined that Secretary Del Toro had violated theHatch Act through his statements voicing support for President Joe Biden during a work trip to the United Kingdom that January.[26]
Del Toro is married to Betty Del Toro, with whom he has four children, along with three grandchildren.[7]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | United States Secretary of the Navy 2021–2025 | Succeeded by |
