President Donald Trump unveiled plans Monday for a new class of warships that will carry his name, marking the latest addition to his “Golden Fleet” naval initiative.
Navy Secretary John Phelan announced the Trump-class battleships during an event at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, describing the lead vessel USS Defiant as “the largest, deadliest, most versatile and best-looking warship anywhere on the world’s oceans.”
The ships will feature advanced weapons systems, including hypersonic missiles, electromagnetic rail guns, and directed energy lasers. Trump said the Navy plans to construct an initial two vessels, and intends to eventually build 20 to 25 ships in the class.
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“Each one of these will be the largest battleship in the history of our country, the largest battleship in the history of the world ever built,” Trump said during the announcement, flanked by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Trump indicated he will participate in the design process for the warships. “The US Navy will lead the design of these ships alongside me because I’m a very aesthetic person,” he said.
The vessels will upgrade the Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and carry the in-development sea-launched nuclear cruise missile, according to Pentagon officials. The announcement comes as the administration seeks to revitalize American shipbuilding capacity and narrow the production gap with China.
This announcement follows Trump’s recent addition of his name to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the US Institute of Peace headquarters in Washington. The Navy traditionally reserves presidential names for aircraft carriers, and typically designates the lead ship in a class with the class name itself.
Funding sources for the new vessels remain unclear. Congress allocated $5.4 billion in summer budget legislation for two additional guided-missile destroyers.
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