Trump unveils new ‘Trump Class’ Naval battle ships

President Trump announced Monday that the U.S. Navy will begin construction of two new battleships that he says are “bigger, faster and 100 times more powerful” than any ships in the Naval fleet.

The new battleships will be part of what the administration has dubbed the U.S. Golden Fleet, which was unveiled last week by the Department of Defense. Renderings displayed behind Mr. Trump called the new ships “Trump Class” with one named the USS Defiant.

Mr. Trump said the U.S. is “desperately in need of ships” because some of America’s current fleet “have gotten old and tired and obsolete.”

The Trump administration is trying to address U.S. shipping building shortfalls and bolster the country’s shipbuilding supply chain.

“We haven’t built a battleship since 1993. These cutting-edge vessels will be some of the most lethal surface warfare ships … other than our submarines,” he said.

“They’ll help maintain American military superiority, revive the American shipbuilding industry and inspire fear in America’s enemies all over the world,” Mr. Trump said of the new battleships. “We want respect. We’re going to have it.”

The new ships will be heavily armed and include missiles and traditional naval guns that are expected to have firepower able to deliver combat effects at a fraction of the cost of missiles. Each ship could weigh as much as 40,000 tons and would serve as the flagship of the U.S. fleet.

The battleships would also be equipped with advanced weapons systems, including hypersonic missiles, electric rail guns and high-powered laser systems; as well as nuclear-capable sea-launched cruise missiles currently under development.

Mr. Trump said that the Navy will build a new class of aircraft carriers that will be above the Gerald R. Ford-class, which are nuclear-powered. One of the Gerard R. Ford-class is currently deployed to the Caribbean as part of Mr. Trump’s efforts to pressure Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. A second is expected to be commissioned in 2027.

The announcement came days after Mr. Trump signed the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, unlocking $26 billion in federal funds for shipbuilding, along with $17 billion for Navy aviation procurement and $5.8 billion for Navy weapons procurement.

In recent weeks, Mr. Trump has built up the U.S. naval presence in Latin America. On Saturday, the U.S. announced the seizure of a second oil tanker, most recently docked off the coast of Venezuela. A third tanker is being pursued in international waters.

Mr. Trump recently ordered a blockade of oil tankers coming in or out of Venezuela, which are transporting sanctioned oil.