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U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled plans to build a new generation of heavily armed naval battleships bearing his name. Trump described the step as a major expansion of American naval power under a broader vision he calls the “Golden Fleet.”

Speaking on December 22, 2025, at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump said the United States would begin construction of a new “Trump-class” of battleships almost immediately.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of the Navy John Phelan stood beside him as he unveiled the new class of battleships. According to Trump, two vessels will be launched initially, with the long-term goal of building a fleet of between 20 and 25 ships.

Trump described the planned vessels as the largest and most powerful warships ever constructed by the United States. “They’ll be the fastest, the biggest, and by far, 100 times more powerful,” he said. He added that the ships would be built domestically and would create thousands of jobs across the US shipbuilding industry.

The president said the new battleships would form the backbone of a revitalized U.S. Navy, arguing that many existing vessels are aging and increasingly obsolete. “We’re desperately in need of ships. Our ships, some of them have gotten old and tired and obsolete, and we’re going to go in the exact opposite direction,” Trump said.

Trump also said he would take a direct role in the design process, citing his long-standing interest in the appearance of U.S. naval vessels. “The U.S. Navy will lead the design of these ships, along with me, because I’m a very aesthetic person,” he said.

Trump has previously criticized modern Navy ship designs, saying during his first term that some vessels “look terrible” and required his personal involvement to improve their appearance.

THE GOLDEN FLEET 🇺🇸

"America's battleships have always been unmistakable symbols of national power. They'll help maintain American military supremacy, revive the American shipbuilding industry, & inspire fear in America's enemies all over the world." – President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/NRq9wLJV6C

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) December 23, 2025

Advanced Weapons and ‘Battleship-Style’ Firepower

According to Trump and senior Navy officials, the Trump-class battleships will be equipped with a range of advanced weapons systems. Trump said these would include high-powered laser technology, hypersonic weapons, and nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missiles. He described the ships as “extremely lethal” and said they would serve as flagships for the U.S. Navy.

Secretary of the Navy John Phelan said the vessels would reflect a return to traditional battleship concepts focused on offensive power. He compared the new class to the historic Iowa-class battleships. “The Iowa was designed to go on the attack with the biggest guns. And that’s exactly what will define the Trump-class battleship,” Phelan said.

Phelan added that the first ship in the class would be named USS Defiant, describing it as “the largest, deadliest, most versatile, and best looking warship, anywhere on the world’s oceans.” He said the battleships would be only one component of a broader naval expansion plan under the Golden Fleet initiative.

In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, Phelan said Trump had personally asked for a “big, beautiful” battleship-style vessel, alongside dozens of additional support, logistics, and transport ships to sustain global naval operations.

Specifications

Length: 840-880 ft
Beam: 105-115 ft
Draft: 24-30 ft
Displacement: >35k t
Speed: 30+ kts
Crew: 650-850
Class Size: 20-25 ships
Main Battery: Surface Launch Cruise Missile-Nuclear (SLCM-N), 12 cells CPS, 128 cells Mk41 VLS
Secondary Battery: 1 x 32MJ Railgun with HVP, 2 x 5″ Gun with HVP, 2 x 300kW or 2 x 600kW lasers
Defensive Battery: 2 × RAM Launchers, 4x30mm Guns, 4 × ODIN Lasers, 2 x Counter UxS Systems
Primary Mission: Power Projection, Offensive Strike, Integrated Air/Missile Defense

Smaller Frigates and Broader Fleet Expansion

Trump’s announcement follows a separate Navy decision, revealed last week, to pursue a new class of smaller and more agile surface combatants. The new frigate program, known as FF(X), will be based on the U.S. Coast Guard’s Legend-class National Security Cutter design, produced by Huntington Ingalls Industries.

Phelan said the first hull of the future FF(X) class is expected to enter the water in 2028. He described the ships as a nimbler complement to larger warships such as destroyers and the planned Trump-class battleships.

“To deliver at speed and scale, I’ve directed the acquisition of a new frigate class based on a proven, American-built ship,” Phelan said, adding that Trump and the defense secretary had signed off on the program as part of the Golden Fleet.

The Navy has described the FF(X) frigate as a highly adaptable vessel capable of carrying out surface warfare missions, transporting modular payloads, and supporting unmanned systems operations. Officials say the ships are intended to fill a growing gap in the Navy’s small surface combatant fleet.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle said recent deployments in regions such as the Red Sea and the Caribbean have underscored the need for more flexible warships.

“Our small surface combatant inventory is a third of what we need,” Caudle said, adding that “We need more capable blue-water small combatants to close the gap and keep our guided-missile destroyers focused on the high-end fight.”

Navy's new class of Large Surface Combatants: THE BATTLESHIP.

The most lethal surface combatant ever constructed. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/7AH5G4IJj5

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) December 22, 2025

Shipbuilding Gaps and Past Setbacks

U.S. officials and defense analysts have repeatedly warned that the United States is falling behind China in shipbuilding capacity and overall naval output. More than 60 percent of global shipbuilding orders this year reportedly went to Chinese shipyards, and China’s navy is already the largest in the world by number of vessels.

Since returning to the office in January, Trump has vowed to revive the U.S. shipbuilding industry. “We used to make so many ships,” he said in March. “We don’t make them very much, but we’re going to make them very fast, very soon. It will have a huge impact.”

The Trump administration’s renewed push comes after earlier setbacks in U.S. frigate programs. The Constellation-class frigate, approved during Trump’s first term, was cancelled in 2025 following repeated delays and cost overruns. Only two ships were expected to be delivered after approximately $2 billion had been spent on the project.

In October, Trump also announced a deal with Finnish President Alexander Stubb for the United States to purchase 11 Finnish-designed icebreakers. Seven of those vessels are expected to be built in the US with Finnish technical assistance, reflecting Trump’s emphasis on rebuilding domestic maritime industrial capacity.

Regional Tensions and Increased Naval Activity

The announcement of the Trump-class battleships comes amid heightened U.S. naval activity in the Caribbean and growing tensions with Venezuela. Over the past several months, the Trump administration has increased pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s government, including an expanded U.S. naval presence in the region.

On Saturday, U.S. officials reported the seizure of a second vessel in international waters, while the Coast Guard is pursuing an oil tanker near Venezuela as part of ongoing operations. Last week, Trump declared what he described as “a total and complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers going into and out of Venezuela.”

Since September, U.S. forces have carried out strikes against vessels alleged to be carrying drugs, with reported casualties exceeding 100 people. Speaking to reporters on Monday, Trump said the operations had saved thousands of American lives by stopping lethal drugs from entering the United States.

However, some experts have criticized the strikes, arguing they could violate international laws governing armed conflict. The administration has defended the actions as necessary to protect U.S. security and disrupt transnational criminal networks.

Trump said construction of the first Trump-class battleships would begin soon, with the initial vessels expected to become operational within approximately two and a half years. He said the ships would symbolize a renewed era of American maritime dominance and serve as a visible demonstration of U.S. power.

“With these ships, the United States Navy will be stronger than ever,” Trump said. “This is about strength, security, and making sure America leads on the seas for generations to come.”