‘Trump-Class USS Defiant’: US President Announces ‘Golden Fleet’, Plans Battleships Named After Himself

‘Trump-Class USS Defiant’: US President Announces ‘Golden Fleet’, Plans Battleships Named After Himself The first ship, named Trump-class USS Defiant, is expected to enter construction soon. Trump said the first vessels would become operational within two-and-a-half years. US President Donald Trump has announced plans to commission a new series of heavily armed Navy battleships named after himself as part of a revamped “Golden Fleet". Speaking at his Mar-a-Lago golf club in Florida, Trump said the new vessels would mark a major expansion of American naval power. The first ship, named the Trump-class USS Defiant, is expected to enter construction soon. Trump said the first vessels would become operational within two-and-a-half years. Recommended Stories ‘Biggest and most powerful’ ships Flanked by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of the Navy John Phelan, Trump said he had approved the construction of two battleships initially, with plans to build up to 25. “They’ll be the fastest, the biggest, and by far 100 times more powerful than any battleship ever built," Trump said. He added that the ships would be equipped with hypersonic and “extremely lethal" weapons and would serve as the flagships of the US Navy. Large posters showing renderings of the Trump-class vessels were displayed during the announcement. US domestic shipbuilding push Trump said the ships would be built in the United States and would create thousands of jobs. He has repeatedly criticised the decline of US shipbuilding and promised to revive the industry since returning to office in January. In a recent interview, Navy Secretary John Phelan said Trump had personally asked for a “big, beautiful" battleship-style vessel. The Golden Fleet will also include dozens of support and transport ships, as well as manned and unmanned vessels. Navy expansion US officials have warned that America is falling behind China in shipbuilding capacity. More than 60 per cent of global shipbuilding orders this year went to Chinese shipyards, and China already has the world’s largest navy. Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Daryl Caudle said recent operations in the Red Sea and the Caribbean showed an urgent need for more surface combatants. He said the Navy’s small combatant fleet had dropped to just a third of its previous size. A similar project, the Constellatio-class frigate approved during Trump’s first term, was cancelled in 2024 after delays and cost overruns. Around $2 billion had been spent, with only two ships expected to be delivered. Despite this, Trump has continued to push large-scale naval projects. In October, the US signed a deal with Finland to buy 11 icebreakers, with seven to be built in the US using Finnish expertise. Rising tensions at sea The announcement comes as US naval and air forces have increased their presence in the Caribbean amid rising tensions with Venezuela. Since September, US strikes on vessels accused of drug trafficking have killed at least 100 people. Trump claimed the operations saved thousands of American lives by stopping deadly drugs. Critics, however, have warned that such actions...

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