President Donald Trump unveiled an ambitious naval expansion plan on Monday in an address from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. He announced plans for a new fleet of battleships called the “Golden Fleet” and revealed he approved plans for 2 new battleships. The announcement marks a historic shift in U.S. naval strategy and defense priorities. Trump said these new ships would be “100 times more powerful” than previous battleships ever built. The declaration came with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Navy Secretary John Phelan, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio flanking the president.
The Golden Fleet Initiative Takes Shape
The administration plans to construct a new class of massive surface combatants called the “Trump-class” battleship. The first ship will bear the name USS Defiant, marking its place as the lead vessel in this historic class. Trump mentioned he has already approved the Navy to immediately start procuring ships. The Navy targets the procurement of the first two ships within two and a half years. Following this initial phase, production could expand to 10 ships total. Trump’s long-term vision encompasses 20 to 25 ships in the U.S. Navy fleet eventually.
Back in April, Trump signed an executive order declaring the erosion of America’s maritime workforce a national security crisis. The order aims to launch a government-wide overhaul to rebuild domestic shipyards, lock in more predictable long-term funding, and train a larger maritime workforce. It also explicitly targets China’s shipbuilding dominance by aiming to boost U.S.-built tonnage and keep more commercial and military construction at home. Navy Secretary Phelan echoed this urgency and mirrored Trump’s vision for American dominance on the seas. He warned that the shipbuilding and weapons services should “act like we’re at war” with China in terms of production speeds.
Massive Size and Scale Specifications
According to Trump, the ships will be heavily armed, combining missiles and traditional naval guns on the platform. He argues that gun-based firepower could have the same destructive efficiency as missiles but at a fraction of the cost. Each ship would displace between 30,000 and 40,000 tons of water and would stretch between 840 and 880 feet in length. The beam, or width, will reach approximately 105 to 115 feet.
The new fleet’s ships would be capable of achieving speeds exceeding 30 knots. A crew of 650 to 850 personnel will operate each battleship non-stop, enabling sustained combat operations and complex multi-mission capabilities. The ships will combine gas turbine and diesel propulsion systems for efficiency and reliability.
Revolutionary Weapons Systems Transform Naval Warfare
Trump stated that these vessels will be equipped with 12 Conventional Prompt Strike hypersonic missile launchers capable of striking targets thousands of miles away. Additionally, each ship will include 128 vertical launch system cells for a variety of missiles. A 32-megajoule electromagnetic railgun will be mounted on the forward deck of each vessel.
Additionally, two 5-inch naval guns will provide secondary firepower for surface engagements and shore bombardment. The vessels will also be equipped with high-powered laser systems ranging from 300 to 600 kilowatts to defend against aircraft and cruise missiles. The ships will also carry nuclear-capable sea-launched cruise missiles, which are currently under development.
— Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan (@SECNAV) December 23, 2025
From Cold War to Golden Age: Historical Perspective
The last American battleship left active service in 1992 when USS Wisconsin was decommissioned. Before that, the last battleship commissioned was in 1944 during World War II. The U.S. Navy has not built any battleship since 1994, making this announcement a striking departure from naval strategy. For decades, smaller destroyers and aircraft carriers dominated American naval planning. The future of the U.S fleet has been the topic of an ongoing debate among defense planners. Recent naval strategy currently champions submarines, drone swarms, and scattered surface forces as the Navy’s future direction. Critics contend that massive, centralized warships become easier targets for hypersonic missiles and carrier-killer systems in modern warfare. Some defense planners argued that large surface ships were too vulnerable to modern missile threats.
Trump referred to America’s battleship-building capability at its peak during World War II, citing it as a model for modern U.S defense production. During World War II, the U.S. built multiple vessels per day. Today’s shipyards operate at significantly lower production rates. Trump’s announcement is also tied to a broader initiative to accelerate U.S. defense manufacturing, recapturing the building momentum of previous generations.
Aggressive Production Timeline and Scaling Strategy
Trump’s administration aims to build the Trump-class fleet incrementally to mitigate cost overruns and delays. Early production experience will inform later modifications and improvements. The battleship’s components will be sourced and manufactured from states across America. Trump plans to meet next week with major defense contractors and pressure these contractors to accelerate production timelines while funneling profits into factory construction. “We make the best equipment in the world, but they don’t make it fast enough,” Trump said, demanding companies stop spending billions on stock buybacks and executive dividends.
The Shipbuilding Industrial Base Crisis
U.S. officials have cautioned that America’s shipbuilding crisis is currently colliding head-on with China’s overwhelming industrial advantage. According to the Office of Naval Intelligence, China currently possesses approximately 230 times the shipbuilding capacity of the United States. Beijing’s shipyards produce over 60% of global merchant vessel orders annually. Meanwhile, the U.S. builds roughly 5 commercial ships each year compared to China’s more than 1,000.
The U.S. Navy currently operates approximately 294 warships while seeking a goal of 355 vessels. China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy fields more than 370 ships. Department of Defense assessments show China has “dozens” of commercial shipyards larger and more productive than America’s biggest facilities. U.S. officials point to American technological superiority in submarine operations and carrier tactics as a lasting advantage. However, China’s expanding naval fleet and accelerating industrial production are gradually undermining this edge.
Broken Systems, Faltering Production, Urgent Solutions
American shipyards operate at approximately 50% capacity despite critical Navy needs. Workforce shortages plague the industry as skilled workers leave for better-paying jobs elsewhere. The U.S. Navy’s shipbuilding industrial base has atrophied from years of inconsistent funding and sporadic demand. Congress has failed to pass a full-year budget on time since 2019, creating uncertainty for contractors. These systemic problems have extended ship construction schedules by years, while costs skyrocket.
Navy leaders have identified multiple root causes of shipbuilding failures. Changing requirements and design modifications after construction begins drive massive cost increases. Fragile supplier networks lack the capacity for sustained production increases. Persistent delays at major shipyards such as Huntington Ingalls Industries continue despite management improvements. The sector faces a vicious cycle: low demand reduces supplier investment, which then increases future production costs. Breaking this cycle requires sustained, massive orders like the Golden Fleet program.
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A Counter to Every Adversary, a Call for American Dominance
Trump denied reports that the Golden Fleet specifically targets China as the primary concern. He stated simply that these battleships serve as “a counter to everybody.” Trump emphasized that his personal relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping is on good terms. He insisted the ships address broader threats across multiple global regions, including the Middle East, Arctic, and Indo-Pacific.
The announcement culminates a broader administration effort to prioritize shipbuilding and naval expansion. Trump’s executive order, the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act, authorizes over $26 billion for naval shipbuilding. Congress also approved $1.1 billion for the Maritime Administration to strengthen the defense industrial base.
Conclusion: History in the Making at Mar-a-Lago
For the first time in 30 years, the United States will build modern battleships designed for the challenges of the 21st century. These vessels are projected to combine immense firepower with cutting-edge technology from hypersonic missiles to electromagnetic weapons. The Golden Fleet initiative addresses both military necessity and industrial crisis simultaneously. As China continues its aggressive naval expansion, defense planners and the administration have decided America needs to act immediately. The Trump administration’s bold announcement may signal the beginning of a genuine American naval resurgence.
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