Overview
- At Mar-a-Lago, the president said the Navy will begin building two large steel warships named as part of a new Trump‑class, displayed renderings labeled USS Defiant, and set a goal of 20 to 25 ships.
- Trump touted hypersonic missiles, railguns, high‑energy lasers, AI integration and sea‑launched nuclear‑capable cruise missiles, while Navy Secretary John Phelan framed the ships as a new deterrent.
- An unnamed U.S. official told the Associated Press that design work is underway with construction planned for the early 2030s, contrasting with Trump’s claim the first ships could be finished in about two and a half years.
- The Wall Street Journal reporting cited by multiple outlets indicates a 30,000–40,000‑ton design intended to replace Arleigh Burke–class destroyers at roughly $5 billion per ship.
- Analysts highlight legal and technical hurdles for the touted weapons and warn of budget strain and limited industrial capacity, with potential builders narrowed to HII or General Dynamics as Trump presses contractors to accelerate output; coverage also links the push to a heightened U.S. naval posture near Venezuela.