Overview
- At Mar‑a‑Lago, President Trump unveiled plans for a new class of 30,000–40,000‑ton surface warships branded the Trump‑class and presented as the core of a future “Golden Fleet.”
- Officials touted loadouts that could include hypersonic weapons, high‑energy lasers, electromagnetic railguns and sea‑launched nuclear‑capable cruise missiles, alongside large guns and rockets.
- Trump said construction would start with two ships, targeted to take about two and a half years, with a longer‑term goal of expanding to roughly 20–25 vessels; the first ship is to be named USS Defiant.
- The White House framed the effort as a push to revive U.S. shipbuilding and jobs, with meetings set with major defense contractors and consideration of a rule to curb executive payouts on delayed, over‑budget programs.
- The initiative remains at an early study and design stage with no detailed costs disclosed, and experts and retired officers warn of affordability, shipyard capacity limits and doubts about the ships’ fit with modern naval doctrine.