Navy Set to Launch Construction of Two ‘Trump Class’ Battleships: Find Out More!

On Monday, President Donald Trump revealed plans for the U.S. to create a new class of battleships, designated as the “Trump class,” as part of his ambition to establish a “Golden Fleet.”

Accompanied by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Navy Secretary John Phelan and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump disclosed that the initial construction of two ships would commence “almost immediately,” aiming for an eventual fleet comprising 20 to 25 ships.

Trump described these upcoming battleships, which will bear his name, as the “largest” to ever be constructed.

Speaking at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump boasted, “They will be the fastest, the largest and absolutely, by far, the most powerful.” He added, “Our naval fleet is aging—some ships are becoming old, weary, and obsolete. We plan to reverse this trend. The Navy will spearhead these ship designs with my guidance, as I have a keen eye for aesthetics.”

Trump has consistently expressed dissatisfaction with the visual design of Navy ships. During an earlier visit to a shipyard in his first term, he criticized the aesthetics of the vessels being constructed, mentioning that he intervened to modify the designs.

Trump announced that the armaments of these battleships would include advanced laser technology, nuclear-capable sea-launched cruise missiles, and hypersonic weapons.

Navy Secretary John Phelan stated that these ships represent just a segment of the broader “Golden Fleet” initiative. He emphasized, “The future Trump class battleship, named USS Defiant, will be the largest, deadliest, most versatile—and most aesthetically pleasing—warship sailing the world’s oceans.”

Phelan further remarked, “Just like the Iowa was built for offense with the largest guns, the Trump-class battleships will follow this principle.”

Following a recent announcement on Friday, Trump’s statement comes as the Navy plans to develop a new class of smaller, more agile combat ships.

Phelan mentioned in a video announcement on December 19 that the first ship of the new FF(X) class, modeled after the U.S. Coast Guard’s Legend-class National Security Cutter, is expected to be launched in 2028. This class aims to serve as a nimble counterpart to the larger vessels in the Navy.

“To expedite this initiative, I’ve approved a procurement strategy for a new frigate class based on the Huntington Ingalls Industries design—a time-tested, American-made vessel that has been safeguarding U.S. interests both domestically and internationally,” Phelan explained.

The Navy is promoting the FF(X) as a versatile ship capable of handling a variety of missions, from surface warfare to transporting modular payloads and operating unmanned systems.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle highlighted the urgent need for this adaptable frigate class, noting recent deployments to the Red Sea and Caribbean as clear indicators of this necessity. “Our inventory of small surface combatants is a third of what it should be. We need more capable blue-water small combatants to supplement our guided-missile destroyers in high-end conflicts,” he explained.

Amid these naval developments, the Trump administration has ramped up its efforts against the Venezuelan government under President Nicolás Maduro, significantly increasing the U.S. naval presence in the area over recent months.

This Saturday, it was reported that a second vessel was seized in international waters, and the Coast Guard is currently pursuing an oil tanker near Venezuela as part of ongoing operations.

Last week, Trump declared “a total and complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela.”