President-elect Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he would appoint an art collector Republican megadonor who works in finance and has no military experience to run the Navy.

“It is my great honor to announce John Phelan as our next United States Secretary of the Navy! » Trump said in a statement. “John will be a tremendous force for our naval service members and an steadfast leader in advancing my vision of America First.” »

Phelan runs Palm Beach-based private investment firm Rugger Management and previously managed billionaire Michal Dell’s investments.

His only qualification for the Navy job appears to be having helped the Trump campaign raise a lot of money.

A fundraiser he hosted for Trump at his $38 million home in Aspen, Colorado, this summer cost between $25,000 and $500,000 per couple.

“Phelan did not serve in the Navy. From (sic) any other branch of military service,” tweeted Army veteran Paul Rieckhoff, founder of the nonprofit group Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. “But he’s a big donor to Trump. The least qualified and most overtly political cabinet in American history continues to grow.

“His record speaks for itself: a true champion of American enterprise and ingenuity!” » added Trump. “John’s intelligence and leadership are unmatched. »

Policy reported that Trump chose him after talks at Mar-a-Lago on Monday. Rep. Mike Garcia (R-CA), a retired naval aviator who was deployed to Iraq, and Rep. Ronny Jackson, a retired Navy captain who was Trump’s chief medical advisor in his first administration , would also be in the running.

Phelan and his wife Amy, a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, were appointed among the top 200 art collectors in the world according to ArtNews earlier this year.

Their collection was describe by a curator at Christie’s auction house as “a celebration of the sexual side of life with a sense of humor” in 2008.

Among their Picassos, Dubuffets and Chagalls are many works of blonde women who resemble Amy, some of which are by her, W Magazine reported.

From 2006 to 2019, they hosted an annual wine tasting event, WineCrush, as part of the Aspen Art Museum’s ArtCrush Summer Gala. Admission to the museum has been free since 2009, according to its website, thanks to sponsorship from the Phelans.

Among those attracted to the event over the years were wine lover And Keeping Up With the Kardashians matriarch Kris Jenner and her partner, Corey Gamble.

Another of Trump’s top picks to lead the military, Secretary of Defense pick Pete Hegsethfaced a blowback after allegations he sexually assaulted a woman at a hotel in 2017. Hegseth denies the claims and says the encounter was consensual.

Meanwhile, longtime Trump adviser Boris Epshteyn is under internal investigation for allegedly offering paid cash access to the president-elect, including soliciting cash payments from potential cabinet candidates. He denies the allegations.

There is no indication that Phelan interacted with Epshteyn.

‘No one can promise support or nomination except me,’ Trump said Just the news earlier this week. “I make these decisions myself, period.”