Full Breakdown
Trump Raises Prospect of South Korean Shipbuilders in U.S. Naval Buildup
7/16/2026, 4:47:02 AM
Core Development at the Defense Innovation Summit
On July 15, 2026, President Donald Trump told attendees at the Defense and Innovation Summit held at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania that his administration would “probably look at some of these companies coming in from South Korea and other places” to help rebuild the U.S. Navy. He added that the Navy “needs a lot of ships” because “our ships are getting older, and we really got out of the business.” The remarks followed a prior conversation with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at the Group of Seven summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, where Trump asked whether Seoul could quickly build ten warships for Washington.
Background & Context
The statements come as the United States and South Korea deepen cooperation under MASGA (Make American Shipbuilding Great Again), a bilateral initiative announced in May 2026 that aims to revitalize U.S. shipyards through foreign investment, workforce training, and joint maintenance. MASGA was proposed during trade and security talks between the two governments and includes plans for a Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Center in Washington.
Data & Statistics
- The U.S. Navy issued two Requests for Information (RFIs) on July 14, 2026, covering destroyer-class combatants and medium-sized fleet tankers.
- Respondents included HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hanwha Ocean, and Samsung Heavy Industries.
- Industry estimates place the potential U.S. naval construction market at roughly 1.6 quadrillion won (? $1.2 trillion), dwarfing South Korea’s recent bid for Canada’s submarine program (? $43 billion).
Official Statements & Responses
President Trump’s summit remarks framed the ship-building outreach as a response to “shipyard capacity constraints” and the Navy’s aging fleet. The Navy’s RFIs are described as early market-research steps, not formal procurement orders, and would require a change to U.S. law or a congressional national-security exemption before any foreign-built warship could be accepted.
During an April congressional hearing, Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll praised Hanwha Ocean as an “effective industrial production model,” underscoring the administration’s push for faster vessel construction.
Criticism & Opposition
Congressional leaders have moved to limit foreign-built combat vessels. The House Armed Services Committee’s FY 2027 NDAA markup includes an amendment barring Pentagon funds from purchasing battle-force ships built abroad, while the Senate version permits only a handful of auxiliary vessels.
South Korean analysts note that, despite technical expertise, the nation’s shipyards are booked through 2029-2030 with commercial contracts for LNG carriers and other projects, raising doubts about the capacity to deliver ten U.S. warships on Trump’s timeline.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Trump’s phrase “ships made outside the area” has been interpreted both as vessels built outside the United States and as ships constructed abroad for U.S. use; sources do not agree on the intended meaning.
- No definitive timeline has been provided for when, if ever, the RFIs could translate into actual contracts, leaving the scope of future cooperation uncertain.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We have to build our Navy ... We got to get it going. So, we're going to probably look at some of these companies that are coming in from South Korea and other places, and they're working with us on ships,” — Donald Trump, President of the United States
- “We will also buy some ships made outside of the area. We need a lot of ships for our Navy. […] Our ships are getting older, and we really got out of the business,” — Donald Trump, President of the United States
- “] Our ships are getting older, and we really got out of the business,” Trump added.” — Donald Trump, President of the United States
- “We are [going to] probably look at some of these companies coming in from South Korea and other places, and they are working with us on ships,” — Donald Trump, President of the United States
What’s Next
The Navy’s RFIs remain open, and both governments have indicated plans to expand the Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Center. Legislative debate over the FY 2028 National Defense Authorization Act is expected to address the foreign-shipbuilding exemptions that would be required for any Korean-built warships to enter U.S. service.
