Trump Announces Plans for New 'Trump-Class' Battleships

Navy Secretary claims the new ships will be the 'largest, deadliest and most versatile' ever built

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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President Trump has announced plans for the US Navy to begin construction on a new class of 'Trump-class' battleships, which he claims will be the largest and most powerful warships ever built. Navy Secretary John Phelan stated the new ships will have the 'biggest guns' and 'offensive firepower' of any warship, comparing them to the iconic Iowa-class battleships of World War II. However, critics warn the ships would be prohibitively expensive and offer little additional capability over existing cruisers and destroyers.

Why it matters

The announcement of the new 'Trump-class' battleships raises questions about the US Navy's priorities and whether such an expensive and potentially unnecessary program is the best use of limited defense resources. While the president and Navy secretary have made bold claims about the ships' capabilities, experts caution they would likely provide limited additional firepower compared to existing vessels at a much higher cost.

The details

According to the Navy, the lead ship of the new class is estimated to cost between $18-22 billion, far exceeding even the price tag of the Ford-class aircraft carriers. The ships are planned to be roughly double the size of the Zumwalt-class destroyers, carrying 128 vertical launch system cells and capable of over 30 knots. However, the largest guns they would be equipped with are only 5-inch, much smaller than the 16-inch guns of the Iowa-class. Critics argue the ships would represent an economic boondoggle, with the billions required better spent on more cost-effective capabilities like maintaining the existing attack submarine fleet, which has seen a significant decline in operational readiness in recent years.

  • On December 22nd, 2025, Secretary of the Navy John Phelan announced the new 'Trump-class' battleship program.
  • President Trump stated his approval for the new ships from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida.

The players

President Donald Trump

The former US president who approved the new 'Trump-class' battleship program.

Secretary of the Navy John Phelan

The current Secretary of the Navy who announced details of the new 'Trump-class' battleship program.

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What they’re saying

“'The future Trump-class battleship, the USS Defiant, will be the largest, deadliest and most versatile and best-looking warship anywhere on the world's oceans,'”

— Secretary of the Navy John Phelan (US Navy press release)

“'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,'”

— President Donald Trump (US Navy press release)

The takeaway

The announcement of the 'Trump-class' battleships raises concerns about the US Navy's spending priorities and whether such an expensive program is the best use of limited defense resources. While the ships are touted as the largest and most powerful warships ever built, experts warn they would provide limited additional capabilities compared to existing vessels at a much higher cost. This raises questions about whether the program is more of a vanity project than a practical investment in the Navy's future.