Trump announces plans to build new class of Navy battleships named after himself

President Trump announced Monday plans to build a new fleet of Navy battleships, marking the first construction of such vessels in more than 80 years. The announcement was made from his Mar-a-Lago estate and included Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of the Navy John Phelan.

Trump said he approved plans to begin constructing "two brand-new, very large, largest we've ever built, battleships." He later stated he expects to build a total of 10 ships in short order, with ultimate plans for 20 to 25 vessels. The president referred to the initiative as the Pentagon's "Golden Fleet."

The new ships will be an upgrade to the Navy's Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers, according to reporting. Current Arleigh Burke-class models cost more than $2 billion apiece to build. There are 74 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers currently in service, with construction beginning in the late 1980s. These vessels serve versatile functions including air defense and aircraft carrier escort operations.

The new class of battleships will be named the "Trump-class," with the first ship in the fleet designated USS Defiant, according to a report. Trump said during the announcement that "each one of these will be the largest battleship in the history of our country, the largest battleship in the history of the world, ever built."

It was not immediately clear how many of the new ships will ultimately be constructed, what specific new capabilities they might have, or whether legislation will be required to finance the initiative. The announcement included renderings of ships referred to as "Trump Class."