Trump unveils Golden Fleet, seeks shipbuilding revival

U.S. President Donald Trump on Dec. 22 local time unveiled plans to build a “Golden Fleet” composed of large-scale Trump-class battleships of about 30,000 tons and newly developed frigates. He said the frigates would be produced in cooperation with Hanwha, praising the company as a "good company.” The announcement has raised expectations that the South Korea-U.S. shipbuilding cooperation project known as MASGA, short for "Make American Shipbuilding Great Again," will gain momentum.

● Trump-class 30,000-ton battleships bearing Trump’s image

Trump made the announcement at a news conference at his private residence, the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, accompanied by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Navy Secretary John Phelan. He said he had approved plans to build two of the largest and most powerful new battleships in world history and disclosed that the Golden Fleet would be launched with newly developed Trump-class battleships at its core.

The first Trump-class battleship will be named USS Defiant, a word meaning challenge or defiance. Trump claimed the vessel would be the fastest, the largest and 100 times more powerful than any battleship previously built. The program will begin with two ships, expand to 10 and ultimately grow to between 20 and 25 vessels.

Trump said construction of the first two ships would begin immediately, with delivery targeted within two and a half years. If the USS Defiant is completed in 2028 as planned, the United States will field a new battleship for the first time in 84 years, since the Iowa-class battleship USS Missouri entered service in 1944.

According to a conceptual rendering of the USS Defiant released that day, a large emblem depicting Trump raising his fist toward the sky, along with the U.S. flag, will be mounted on the outer wall of the stern helicopter deck. Trump said he has a strong sense of aesthetics and would personally lead the battleship’s design in cooperation with the U.S. Navy. The name Golden Fleet is also widely seen as reflecting Trump’s preference for gold.

The newly built battleships, including the USS Defiant, will be equipped with hypersonic missiles, nuclear cruise missiles and high-powered laser weapons. Phelan said the Trump-class battleships would serve as a key pillar of the United States’ new nuclear deterrence. The Associated Press, however, noted that the development and deployment of nuclear cruise missiles on naval vessels could violate the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

Trump also said he would restore the United States as a major shipbuilding power, adding that 15 submarines and three aircraft carriers are currently under construction separately. He said he would meet with executives from major defense companies in Florida next week to discuss ways to accelerate production schedules for weapons systems such as the F-35 fighter jet. Trump warned that companies that fail to meet expectations would face penalties, signaling an aggressive push to speed up production.

Observers say the core objective of the Golden Fleet is likely to be countering China’s expanding naval power. In its National Security Strategy released on Dec. 4, the United States identified as a key security goal the defense of the First Island Chain, stretching from Japan’s Kyushu through Okinawa, Taiwan and the Philippines, as well as Taiwan itself, from China. Trump, however, responded cautiously when asked about China, saying he seeks “peace through strength” while emphasizing that the initiative targets all threats, not China alone. He added that he has a good relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

In the United States, some critics say it is excessive to name a battleship class after a sitting president. The Washington Post noted that battleships have traditionally been named after states and aircraft carriers after former presidents, calling the move unusual.

● Tailwinds for South Korea’s shipbuilding industry

Within South Korea’s shipbuilding industry, expectations are growing that Trump’s remarks will benefit not only Hanwha but also other shipbuilding-related companies, including HD Hyundai. Industry officials view the comments as a signal that the Trump administration has effectively decided to use Hanwha’s shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as a key base for strengthening U.S. naval capabilities.

An industry official said the Philadelphia shipyard is preparing an application for Facility Clearance Level certification, which is required for naval vessel construction, with an eye toward entering the U.S. military ship market over the medium to long term. The official added that there is growing hope the remaining procedures could now move more quickly.

U.S. defense contractor Huntington Ingalls Industries has also been selected as the designer and builder of a next-generation small surface combatant being pursued as part of the Golden Fleet initiative. The company is seeking partner firms to support the project, and expectations are rising that participation opportunities could open in some form, given its long-term partnership with HD Hyundai, including joint development of naval support vessels.

Another industry source said cooperation with South Korean shipbuilders would be essential given constraints on U.S. shipyard capacity and production infrastructure, predicting the initiative would broadly benefit South Korea’s shipbuilding sector.


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