© 2025 Thomson Reuters
U.S. President Trump delivers speech at the USS Battleship North Carolina in Wilmington, North Carolina
(Palm Beach, FL) — President Donald Trump announced a major new naval initiative Monday, unveiling plans for a new class of U.S. Navy warships he’s calling “Trump-class battleships.” They will serve as the centerpiece of a larger “Golden Fleet.” Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago resort, Trump described the ships as larger, faster, and far more powerful than any battleship ever built, claiming they will be instrumental in revitalizing U.S. maritime strength. The first vessel will be named the USS Defiant, and the plan envisions building two initially and eventually expanding to around 20–25 such vessels, alongside other support ships.
According to administration officials, these ships are intended to incorporate advanced weapons systems—including hypersonic missiles, high-powered lasers, railguns, and even nuclear-armed cruise missiles—though many of these technologies remain under development and may face legal or technical hurdles. The announcement comes amid challenges in current Navy procurement, including recent cancellations of other ship programs due to cost and delays, and represents a significant shift in naval strategy by reintroducing battleship-style surface combatants after decades of focus on carriers, submarines and smaller ships.
