Trump-class battleship
In a striking December 2025 announcement, the U.S. Navy unveiled plans for a new class of guided-missile warships, controversially dubbed the "Trump-class battleship." This ambitious project aims to resurrect the "battleship" designation after decades, but not in the way you might expect — instead of heavy armor and massive guns, it promises a revolutionary arsenal of hypersonic missiles, powerful lasers, and even a nuclear-capable cruise missile option. It's a bold vision, but one that raises profound questions about its feasibility, funding, and even its very definition. The Trump-class battleship is a proposed U.S. Navy warship designed to carry advanced missile systems, including nuclear-capable cruise missiles and hypersonics, rather than traditional large guns and heavy armor. Its classification as a "battleship" is highly debated, as it departs significantly from historical definitions, embracing modern guided-missile capabilities over conventional naval artillery. The project faces substantial skepticism regarding its unprecedented design, immense development costs, a strained U.S. shipbuilding labor force, and a departure from traditional ship-naming conventions.
AI Summary
In a striking December 2025 announcement, the U.S. Navy unveiled plans for a new class of guided-missile warships, controversially dubbed the "Trump-class battleship." This ambitious project aims to resurrect the "battleship" designation after decades, but not in the way you might expect — instead of heavy armor and massive guns, it promises a revolutionary arsenal of hypersonic missiles, powerful lasers, and even a nuclear-capable cruise missile option. It's a bold vision, but one that raises profound questions about its feasibility, funding, and even its very definition.
- The Trump-class battleship is a proposed U.S. Navy warship designed to carry advanced missile systems, including nuclear-capable cruise missiles and hypersonics, rather than traditional large guns and heavy armor.
- Its classification as a "battleship" is highly debated, as it departs significantly from historical definitions, embracing modern guided-missile capabilities over conventional naval artillery.
- The project faces substantial skepticism regarding its unprecedented design, immense development costs, a strained U.S. shipbuilding labor force, and a departure from traditional ship-naming conventions.
The Return of the Battleship?
For decades, the idea of a new U.S. Navy battleship was, well, confined to history books. The majestic Iowa-class battleships, like the USS Missouri, were retired in the early 1990s, and with them, the era of massive gun-toting dreadnoughts seemed to end. No new battleship plans had surfaced since World War II's Montana-class was canceled in 1943.
Yet, in December 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump made a surprising announcement: a new class of guided-missile warships, to be called the Trump-class battleship. This bold declaration immediately captured attention, not just for its name, but for what it represented — a potential sea-change in naval strategy and design.
Initially, two vessels are planned: the lead ship, USS Defiant (BBG-1), and another yet-to-be-named vessel. The 'BBG' designation itself is telling, blending the traditional 'BB' for battleship with 'G' for guided missile, signaling a radical departure from naval tradition.
A 'Golden Fleet' and Strategic Shift
President Trump's announcement outlined an ambitious vision: an initial two ships, expanding to ten, and eventually a 'Golden Fleet' of 'between 20 and 25' Trump-class battleships. This initiative, he stated, was part of a broader effort to revitalize U.S. shipbuilding and significantly enlarge the U.S. Navy.
This strategy comes amidst growing concerns within the U.S. over China's burgeoning shipbuilding capacity and output. The Trump-class is positioned as a direct response, aiming to reclaim America's naval superiority and industrial strength.
The new class evolved from earlier efforts, like the DDG(X) program, which faced design constraints in trying to pack enough vertical launch systems for advanced missiles and a gun-mount into its hull. The Trump administration's interest in a larger, modern battleship offered a new path, merging these desired capabilities into a single, more potent vessel.
Armament for the 21st Century
Forget the colossal cannons of old. The Trump-class battleship envisions an armament suite designed for modern warfare, emphasizing missiles and directed energy. Its primary battery would include a Surface Launch Cruise Missile Nuclear (SLCM-N) system, offering a nuclear-capable option to the surface fleet.
It's also planned to carry a 12-cell Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) hypersonic missile system — weapons that can travel at incredible speeds, making them nearly impossible to intercept. Complementing these are a staggering 128 cells of the versatile Mark 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS), capable of firing a wide array of missiles for air defense, anti-ship warfare, and land attack.
The secondary battery sounds like something from science fiction: a 32-megajoule railgun, capable of launching projectiles at hypersonic speeds using electromagnetic force rather than gunpowder. Alongside this, two traditional 5-inch (127 mm) guns and a pair of powerful 300 to 600-kilowatt laser weapons are planned, offering both conventional and cutting-edge firepower.
For defense, the ships would feature RAM launchers for close-in missile defense, Mark 38 30mm machine gun systems, ODIN lasers, and dedicated anti-drone systems. An enclosed hangar would accommodate VTOL aircraft like helicopters, V-22 Ospreys, and future vertical-lift manned and unmanned platforms, making it a truly multi-role warship.
Skepticism and Design Debates
Despite the ambitious vision, the Trump-class has been met with considerable skepticism. Analysts point to its lack of funding, unprecedented design, and the immense development costs as significant hurdles. Some doubt these ships will ever actually enter service, fearing they might be canceled by future administrations.
One of the most intense debates revolves around its classification. Is it truly a 'battleship'? Historically, battleships were defined by massive guns—like 16-inchers—and heavy armor. The Trump-class, with its focus on missiles and directed energy, clearly lacks these hallmarks.
Critics argue its profile is more akin to a modern 'battlecruiser,' a class known for speed and firepower but less armor, similar to Russia's Kirov class. However, proponents contend that the definition of 'battleship' has evolved. If a ship is designed to survive and dominate a fleet battle, then its armaments and role, not just its armor, could define it as a battleship for a new era.
Shipbuilding and Labor Challenges
Another significant concern is the U.S. shipbuilding industry's capacity. During World War II, tens of thousands of skilled workers labored around the clock in vast naval yards to produce fleets of ships. The Brooklyn Navy Yard alone employed over 71,000 people.
Today, the landscape is very different. Analysts note a shortage of skilled labor in U.S. shipyards, with yards increasing wages just to attract workers. Building a fleet of these complex, advanced warships would require a massive expansion of the workforce and infrastructure, a task easier said than done.
President Trump indicated the ships would be built at Hanwha Philly Shipyard, which has historically constructed commercial vessels and lacks experience with defense contracts. While Hanwha Group pledged a multi-billion dollar investment to eventually build warships there, the Congressional Research Service noted that only Bath Iron Works, Ingalls Shipbuilding, and Newport News Shipbuilding have the proven track record for such complex naval vessels.
A Name That Breaks Tradition
Finally, the naming itself has sparked discussion. U.S. battleships have traditionally been named after states, with rare exceptions. While aircraft carriers have honored presidents, naming a warship after a living incumbent president is highly unusual.
This move breaks with long-standing conventions, drawing comparisons to other instances where President Trump's name was added to government programs or facilities. Whether it's a fitting tribute or a controversial branding exercise, the 'Trump-class battleship' certainly ensures a memorable, if unconventional, entry into naval history.
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Trump-class battleship
In a press conference in December 2025, U.S. president Donald Trump announced a United States Navy guided-missile warship, to be called the Trump-class battleship. The class is also known as BBG(X) in some Navy documents, and is intended to initially consist of the lead ship USS Defiant (BBG-1) and an as-yet unnamed other vessel. If and when commissioned, the class is envisioned as adding a nuclear-capable cruise missile option to the U.S. Navy surface fleet.
The Trump administration intends to revitalize shipbuilding in the United States alongside the construction of the Trump-class. Analysts have expressed skepticism about the Trump-class battleship, citing its lack of funding, unprecedented design, and high development costs. Its classification as a battleship is debated, as it lacks the heavy armor and large-caliber guns typical of historical battleships. The naming of the class after an incumbent president has also broken traditional conventions.
History
Background
The U.S. Navy has not had a battleship in commission since the retirement of the last Iowa-class battleship USS Missouri in 1992. There have been no plans for new ones since the cancellation of the Montana class in 1943.
The retirement of the Iowa class led to a battleship retirement debate on how the Navy should replace their capabilities. The Zumwalt-class destroyer was developed to replace their gunfire support function, but the class was cancelled after only three ships were constructed. The Navy also launched studies into a Future Surface Combatant (FSC) to replace the Ticonderoga-class cruisers—which will reach the end of their service lives in the 2020s—as well as older flights of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. The FSC evolved into the Large Surface Combatant (LSC) program, which became the DDG(X). The DDG(X) program office was established in June 2021.
Rear Admiral Derek Trinque revealed in January 2026 that the development of the DDG(X) ran into constraints as the hull lacked the capability to accommodate the desired number of VLS for Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) missiles and a gun-mount. The U.S. Navy considered building two DDG(X) variants, but pivoted to a larger vessel capable of accommodating both after the Trump administration showed interest in a modern battleship, which became the Trump-class. Vice Admiral Brendan McLane, commander of Naval Surface Force, also stated that the flight III Arleigh Burke class could no longer accommodate new systems.
Announcement
On 22 December 2025, U.S. president Donald Trump announced the Trump-class and that 2 ships would initially be constructed, with a total of 10 then planned, and eventual plans for "between 20 and 25" as part of a "Golden Fleet". The first ship is planned to be named USS Defiant (BBG-1). U.S. Secretary of the Navy John Phelan stated that the ships are planned to carry conventional guns and nuclear-armed cruise missiles. Trump stated that the ships are planned to be domestically built at the Hanwha Philly Shipyard, owned by South Korean conglomerate Hanwha Group.
The announcement of the class comes amidst warnings by U.S. officials that Chinese shipbuilding has surpassed the United States in capacity and output, and is part of the Trump administration's goal to enlarge the U.S. Navy and revitalize the U.S. shipbuilding industry.
The Department of Defense states that the BBG(X) program will replace the DDG(X) program, incorporating technology and capabilities from the latter into the former.
Planned armament
According to the navy, ships of the class are planned to include, as part of their primary battery, a Surface Launch Cruise Missile Nuclear (SLCM-N) system, a 12-cell Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) hypersonic missile system, and a 128-cell Mark 41 vertical launching system (VLS). A secondary battery is planned to consist of a 32-megajoule railgun, two 5-inch/62-caliber (127 mm) guns, and a pair of either 300 or 600-kilowatt laser weapons. A defensive battery is planned with two RAM launchers, four Mark 38 30 mm machine gun system, four ODIN lasers, and two anti-drone systems. The ships are also planned to have an enclosed hangar for VTOL aircraft such as helicopters, the V-22 Osprey and other, future vertical-lift manned and unmanned aircraft. However, the United States Naval institute say that the lasers, nuclear cruise missiles and the railgun are potential additions to the base design, which they stated as including the same number of VLS and CPS missile cells and "five-inch guns". General Atomics announced in January 2026 that discussions with the U.S. Navy on the "role of railguns" for the Trump-class had begun.
Directed energy weapons such as megawatt-class (1000 kilowatts) lasers could be installed to combat threats closing in on the ship, which would represent an upgrade to the existing ODIN and HELIOS laser weapon systems currently in use in U.S. Navy ships. The War Zone notes that HELIOS operates at 60 kilowatts, while ODIN is not as powerful as HELIOS.
Reactions
Trump-class battleship
Graphic representation of the weaponry that a Trump-class ship would carry
Design
Analysts commenting on the preliminary Trump-class design expressed doubts that the ships will enter service because they have not been funded and their unique and unprecedented design will make development costly and slow.
The classification of the Trump-class ship as a battleship has been questioned. Mark Cancian with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) wrote that the term has historically been used for warships with large guns, such as 16-inch guns, and heavy armor, which Trump-class would lack, and that the ship's profile is more typical of a guided-missile "battlecruiser" like Russia's Kirov class. However, according to the U.S. Naval Institute, the definition of the term "battleship" has evolved over the ages, from wooden ships with many guns (ship of the line [of battle]), through to the 20th-century usage of high-caliber gunned ships with heavy armor. The ship is meant to survive in a fleet battle, and thus armor is not definitional to the core of the battleship. The importance of the large gun debate depends upon whether the gun is the most important component of the ship's firepower.
CNN analyst Stephen Collinson states that the procurement of the Trump class would likely revive the battleship retirement debate. Cancian writes that the ship "will never sail" as its high cost will prompt "A future administration [to] cancel the program before the first ship hits the water".
U.S. labor force
Some have questioned whether the United States has an adequate labor force to build the ships in American shipyards. This argument notes that during World War II, tens of thousands of men and women worked in shifts around the clock at each of the U.S. naval yards that produced the Iowa-class. More than 71,000 people were employed at the Brooklyn Navy Yard alone. Cancian notes that U.S. shipbuilders were so short of skilled labor in 2025 that they had been increasing wages to attract workers from competing yards.
The Congressional Research Service states that the U.S. Navy intends to award contracts to multiple shipbuilders for the construction of a Trump-class battleship. The report identifies three capable shipyards: Bath Iron Works and Ingalls Shipbuilding, each of which have built every U.S. Navy cruiser and destroyer since 1985; and Newport News Shipbuilding, which specializes in the construction and overhauling of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.
Trump had previously indicated that the ships would be built at Hanwha Philly Shipyard. The yard has only ever built commercial vessels as of January 2026 and lacks any experience with defense-related contracts. After Hanwha's acquisition of the financially struggling shipyard in 2024, it had in August 2025 pledged an investment toward a $5 billion infrastructure plan, with a goal to eventually build warships.
Name
The Trump-class name would not follow United States ship naming conventions. American battleships have been named after U.S. states, with the exception of USS Kearsarge, a pre-dreadnought battleship; while names of presidents have been used for aircraft carriers before, naming a warship after a living person, once rare, is no longer unusual in the United States, though it is atypical for presidents to name things after themselves. The naming came in the context of the recent addition of Trump's name to the Kennedy Center and the U.S. Institute of Peace, as well as the new Trump account and Trump Gold Card.