President Trump announced on Monday a new class of battleships as part of the U.S. Navy’s “Golden Fleet.”
The announcement came during a public appearance at Mar-a-Lago, where the president outlined a plan for the Navy to begin construction of two steel-built warships.
Both vessels will be equipped with an array of weapons, including guns, missiles, hypersonic weapons and high-powered lasers.
Trump highlighted that the ships will be constructed from “all steel,” a departure from the aluminum used in many modern naval vessels.
The president said the construction timeline would take roughly two and a half years to complete.
When asked whether the new class was designed to counter China, Trump responded that the ships are intended to counter “everybody.”
He further claimed they will be the fastest, the biggest and by far, 100 times more powerful than any battleship ever built.
Trump delivered these remarks alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Navy Secretary John Phelan, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Each new battleship will weigh more than 30,000 tons, positioning them as the largest assets in the fleet.
The Navy plans to field between 20 and 25 of these vessels as part of its broader effort to strengthen U.S. naval capabilities.
The introduction of the new class represents a significant upgrade to the existing Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.
The first ship, named the USS Defiant, will carry a nuclear-armed, sea-launched cruise missile, according to Phelan.
Phelan described the Defiant as the “largest, deadliest and most versatile and best looking warship anywhere on the world’s oceans.”
Last week, the Navy announced the commissioning of a new class of frigates, also part of the Golden Fleet, designed to protect larger ships from surface vessels and fighter jets.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle emphasized in a Friday video that the U.S. small surface combatant inventory is only one-third of what the Navy needs.
Caudle added, “We need more capable blue-water small combatants to close the gap and keep our DDGs focused on the high-end fight.”
The combined announcements underscore a strategic shift toward larger, more versatile surface combatants capable of multi-role operations.
Key Takeaways
- President Trump unveiled a steel-built battleship class for the Golden Fleet.
- Each ship will weigh over 30,000 tons and be armed with guns, missiles, hypersonic weapons and lasers.
- The Navy plans to build 20-25 vessels, with the first named USS Defiant carrying a nuclear-armed cruise missile.
These statements signal a renewed focus on expanding the U.S. Navy’s surface combatant fleet, with an emphasis on size, power and versatility.
