U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday unveiled plans for a new generation of battleships, marking the beginning of an expanded naval programme intended to enhance America’s maritime supremacy and accelerate accountability among defence contractors.
The initiative, dubbed the "Golden Fleet," will feature vessels that are significantly larger, faster, and more powerful than any previously constructed, with the first ship set to be named USS Defiant.
Reuters, on Tuesday, cited Trump describing the new battleships as "100 times more powerful" than earlier designs and declared that they would form the backbone of an expanded fleet aimed at ensuring U.S. naval dominance.
The programme is expected to begin with two vessels and eventually grow to between 20 and 25 ships.
The President said the ships would weigh more than 30,000 tons, surpassing the size of current destroyers, and would incorporate the latest in military technology, including artificial intelligence systems and directed energy laser weapons. "We haven't built a battleship since 1994.
These cutting-edge vessels will be some of the most lethal surface warfare ships … other than our submarines," Trump said during the announcement at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.
U.S. Navy Secretary John Phelan added that the Trump Class battleships would carry conventional naval guns alongside nuclear-armed, sea-launched cruise missiles, underscoring the ships’ formidable offensive capabilities.
While some officials have suggested that the absence of new battleships in recent decades has allowed strategic advantages to accrue to global competitors such as China, Trump insisted the expansion is designed as "a counter to everybody," downplaying any specific targeting of rival nations.
The President also signalled a tightening of oversight on defence contractors, highlighting cost overruns and production delays.
"We don't want to have executives making $50 million a year, issuing big dividends to everybody, and also doing buybacks," he said, emphasising the need for accountability in projects such as F-35 jets and other military equipment.
He announced plans to meet with major defence firms to examine whether executive compensation, dividends, or stock buybacks are contributing to production delays.
The broader naval expansion, in addition to the Trump Class battleships, includes increasing the number of other warships and the introduction of a new, smaller class of frigates previously announced by the Navy.
Trump, who has criticised the appearance of U.S. warships in the past, confirmed he would personally oversee the designs, signalling a hands-on approach in shaping the future fleet.
The announcement represents a high-profile rebranding of the U.S. Navy’s surface combat capabilities under Trump’s personal imprint, combining cutting-edge military technology with a strategic vision for American maritime power. - December 23, 2025
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