Trump's Navy Secretary Nominee Pledges Overhaul of Shipbuilding to Address Delays and Costs

John Phelan emphasizes industrial revitalization, accountability, and competitive incentives to rebuild U.S. naval capacity and meet strategic priorities.

John Phelan, President Trump's nominee for Navy Secretary, highlighted systemic issues in U.S. Navy shipbuilding, including delays, cost overruns, and maintenance challenges, during his Senate confirmation hearing.
Phelan proposed reforms such as incentivizing private sector investment in shipyards, streamlining procurement, and adopting lessons from foreign shipbuilding practices to address industrial base weaknesses.
The nominee emphasized the critical importance of the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine program, calling for a root cause analysis of delays and increased competition for components.
Phelan outlined plans to modernize shipbuilding through emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and improve recruitment efforts by leveraging the Navy's upcoming 250th anniversary for outreach.
Lawmakers expressed bipartisan concern over the Navy's diminished shipbuilding capacity, with some warning that proposed budget reallocations could impact readiness and public shipyards.