PALM BEACH, Fla. — President Donald Trump on Monday announced the U.S. Navy’s intent to develop a new class of large surface combatants, dubbed the Trump-class battleships, under a proposed “Golden Fleet” initiative aimed at expanding and revitalizing American shipbuilding.
Trump was joined at the announcement by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of the Navy John Phelan. All four officials delivered remarks endorsing the proposed battleship program, arguing that the Navy requires larger and more capable surface combatants to meet future threats.
According to a Defense Department press release, the Trump-class ships would displace 30,000 to 40,000 tons, making them the largest surface combatants planned for U.S. service. The lead ship of the class would be named USS Defiant.
“As commander in chief, it’s my great honor to announce that I have approved a plan for the Navy to begin the construction of two brand-new, very large — largest we’ve ever built — battleships,” Trump said during remarks at his Mar-a-Lago residence.
However, the Defense Department emphasized that the Trump-class remains in the design phase, with construction of the first ship targeted for the early 2030s. Any construction would require congressional authorization and appropriations, which have not yet been approved.
Pro tip: If it doesn’t show up in next year’s defense budget, it’s isn’t happening.
The White House said the administration ultimately envisions a fleet of 20 to 25 Trump-class battleships, though officials acknowledged the effort remains a proposal.
Renderings released by the Navy depict USS Defiant with an integrated superstructure, large SPY-6 radar arrays, laser weapon systems, and extensive vertical launch system (VLS) capacity on a hull larger than any current U.S. surface combatant. The design appears to include at least 100 VLS cells, along with multiple electronic warfare and point-defense systems.
The ships are intended to carry a mix of Mark 41 VLS missiles, including Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles and Standard Missiles, as well as Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) hypersonic missiles, similar to those currently being installed on Zumwalt-class destroyers.
President Trump also confirmed that the Trump-class battleships would be armed with the Sea-Launched Cruise Missile – Nuclear (SLCM-N), a nuclear-tipped cruise missile under development for the U.S. Navy. If deployed on surface combatants, SLCM-N would mark the return of nuclear weapons to U.S. surface ships for the first time since their removal in the early 1990s under the Presidential Nuclear Initiatives.
In addition to missiles, Trump said the ships would be equipped with railguns and high-powered laser weapons. The Navy previously discontinued railgun development due to cost and technical challenges.
Administration officials described the Trump-class battleships as future flagships of the U.S. Navy, designed to serve as fleet command platforms for senior commanders.
The administration framed the proposed battleships as a central element of a broader effort to revive U.S. shipbuilding. Trump said the ships would be built entirely in the United States and suggested that new shipyards may be required to meet production goals.
The announcement follows the Navy’s recent unveiling of the proposed FF(X) frigate program, intended to replace the canceled Constellation-class frigates.