Trump Announces ‘Golden Fleet’ With New Class of Battleships
President Donald Trump has announced the return of American battleships for the first time since World War II, unveiling a new initiative called the “Golden Fleet.” The first two ships of this Trump-class will begin construction immediately, with the lead ship named the USS Defiant.
“These are the best in the world,” Trump said. “They will be the fastest, the biggest, and by far 100x more powerful than any battleship ever built.”
The Trump-class ships will be equipped with cutting-edge weaponry, including nuclear cruise missiles, hypersonic missiles, railguns, lasers, and AI targeting systems. They are designed to displace 30,000 to 40,000 tons, stretch over 840 feet long, and reach speeds exceeding 30 knots. Each ship will host a crew of 650 to 850.
According to the Navy’s Golden Fleet website, the USS Defiant will have “the most destructive fire power of any surface ship to ever sail” and “strike at 80 times the range” of prior vessels.
Trump said the new ships will be built with American steel in modernized U.S. shipyards, creating thousands of jobs. “The US Navy will lead the design of these ships along with me because I’m a very aesthetic person,” he said.
The Navy expects the USS Defiant to be operational within 2.5 years. The full class will include 20 to 25 ships. Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised the initiative as a return of American industrial strength, calling it “something generations of Americans will be grateful for.”
Secretary of the Navy John Phelan called the Trump-class “a formal requirement” and “something the Navy desperately needs.” He confirmed the ships will serve as command centers and restore sea-based nuclear cruise missile capabilities for the first time in decades.
Battleships were phased out after WWII due to their vulnerability to aircraft, a fact made evident during the attack on Pearl Harbor. But Trump and Navy leaders say the next generation of battleships will be the deadliest, most advanced, and most versatile ships to ever sail.
“We are going to make battleships great again,” Phelan said. “The USS Defiant battleship will inspire awe and reverence for the American flag wherever it pulls into port”