Full Breakdown
Trump’s “Golden Fleet”: $150 Billion Battleship Program Sparks Expert Alarm
8/2/2026, 12:06:17 AM
Core Announcement: New “Trump-Class” Battleships Unveiled
At a media event at Mar-a-Lago in late December, former President Donald Trump announced an initial order for ten “Trump-Class” battleships, a program the Daily Beast estimates could total roughly $150 billion. The first ship is projected to cost $17.5 billion, with the next two at $14.5 billion each, bringing the three-ship baseline to $36.5 billion. Each vessel would displace about 35,000 tons, measure roughly 880 feet in length, and carry a crew of around 800.
Background & Motivation
Trump has long expressed fascination with World War II battleships, citing the 1952 documentary series *Victory at Sea* that he watched as a child. He previously invoked the USS Iowa in a 2015 speech and has repeatedly called for “naval spectacles,” including watching missile tests from the USS George H.W. Bush’s escort ships in 2025.
Data & Statistics
- Cost per ship: $17.5 billion (first) and $14.5 billion (subsequent).
- Total program estimate: $150 billion for ten vessels.
- Displacement: 35,000 tons; length: 880 feet; crew: ~800.
- Comparison: Iowa-class ships displaced 60,000 tons and carried over 1,800 crew members.
- Planned capabilities: gas-turbine propulsion (with Trump claiming nuclear power), high-energy lasers, railgun, helicopter and vertical-take-off aircraft launch capacity.
Criticism & Opposition
Dr. She emphasized that “all the naval experts I know agree, apart from (inevitably) those with roles in the administration,” and argued that spending billions on these ships would divert funds from smaller, more versatile platforms such as the $4.4 billion DDGX guided-missile destroyer, a project cancelled in favor of the battleship program.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Think of that, 100 times more powerful,” — President Trump, battleships that president
- “It seems to me like, ‘Oh, let’s get a railgun. Let’s put that on. Let’s get missiles,’” — Dr. Emma Salisbury, a Britain-based naval warship expert
- “All the naval experts I know agree, apart from (inevitably) those with roles in the administration.” — Dr. Emma Salisbury, a Britain-based naval warship expert
- “The nuclear-powered battleship will direct the fight and employ the next generation of game-changing naval weapons to dominate the maritime domain.” — The Daily Beast
