President Donald Trump has announced that the US will commission a new series of heavily armed Navy battleships named after himself, as part of a revamped 'Golden Fleet'.
Construction on the Trump Class USS Defiant ships, which will be equipped to carry an array of weapons, is expected to begin soon, with Trump saying they will be operational in two-and-a-half years.
The announcement is part of a larger planned expansion of the US Navy by President Trump in both manned and unmanned vessels, including larger missile-armed warships and smaller vessels.
Officials have warned that the US currently lags behind China in both shipbuilding capacity and total output.
Speaking at his Mar-a-Lago golf club in Florida alongside defense secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of the Navy John Phelan on Monday, Trump said he approved the construction of two new battleships to start, with a plan to build up to 25.
'They'll be the fastest, the biggest, and by far, 100 times more powerful than any battleship ever built,' Trump said.
Once completed, Trump stated the armed vessels would be equipped to carry hypersonic and 'extremely lethal' weapons, serving as the flagships of the US Navy.
Trump stated the vessels would be built domestically, creating 'thousands' of jobs.
In a recent interview, Naval leaders emphasized the urgent need for improved naval capabilities due to increasing global maritime tensions, particularly concerning China as a primary rival.
Moreover, Trump's announcement comes amidst rising tensions in the Caribbean, with US naval presence growing in response to challenges from Venezuela.
Analysts have noted the US must ramp up its shipbuilding efforts or risk falling further behind in global maritime power.
