Trump Announces New Class of Navy Battleships to Form 'Golden Fleet'
Former President Trump has announced the creation of a new class of heavily armed Navy battleships dubbed the Trump Class, which will be part of a revamped fleet known as the 'Golden Fleet'. These ships, designated USS Defiant, are intended to serve as US Navy flagships.
Construction of the Trump Class battleships is set to begin soon, with two ships starting initially and plans to build up to 25 vessels in total. The ships are expected to be operational in about two-and-a-half years. They will be equipped with hypersonic and 'extremely lethal' weapons.
This initiative, announced at Mar-a-Lago, Florida, was attended by defence secretary Pete Hegseth, secretary of state Marco Rubio, and secretary of the Navy John Phelan. The vessels will be constructed domestically and are anticipated to create thousands of jobs.
Officials highlighted that the US currently lags behind China in shipbuilding capacity and output, noting that over 60% of this year's global shipbuilding orders were awarded to Chinese yards. An earlier project for Constellatio-class frigates, which faced delays and cost overruns, was cancelled in 2024 after reportedly only two ships were delivered following around $2 billion spent.
