Trump Announces ‘Golden Fleet’ With New Navy Battleships Bearing His Name

By Blessing Nweke

President Donald Trump has announced plans for a dramatic expansion of the US Navy, unveiling a new series of heavily armed battleships named after himself as part of what he called a revamped “Golden Fleet”.

Speaking at his Mar-a-Lago golf club in Florida on Monday, flanked by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of the Navy John Phelan, Trump said he had approved the construction of two new “Trump Class” USS Defiant battleships, with plans to build as many as 25 in total.

Construction is expected to begin soon, with Trump claiming the first vessels would be operational within two-and-a-half years. The president said the ships would be domestically built, creating “thousands” of jobs, and would serve as flagships of the US Navy.

“They’ll be the fastest, the biggest, and by far, 100 times more powerful than any battleship ever built,” Trump said, gesturing to posters showing renderings of the vessels. He added that the ships would be equipped with hypersonic and what he described as “extremely lethal” weapons.

The announcement forms part of a broader naval expansion that includes both manned and unmanned vessels, ranging from large missile-armed warships to smaller combat and support ships. US officials have repeatedly warned that the country lags behind China in shipbuilding capacity and output, with more than 60% of global ship orders this year reportedly going to Chinese shipyards.

In a recent Wall Street Journal interview, Phelan said Trump had specifically requested a “big, beautiful” battleship-type vessel for the fleet. However, defence analysts note that past programmes have faced challenges. The Constellations frigate, approved during Trump’s first term, was cancelled in 2024 after delays and cost overruns, despite nearly $2Billion being spent.

The announcement also comes amid heightened US naval activity in the Caribbean and renewed debate over the legality of recent maritime strikes, which some experts say could breach international law.