U.S. President Donald Trump on the 22nd (local time) announced plans to build a “Trump Class” large battleship of 30,000–40,000 tons and new frigates as part of a “Golden Fleet.” He specifically stated that frigate production would be carried out in cooperation with Hanwha, praising Hanwha as “a good company.” Expectations are rising that MASGA (Make American Shipbuilding Great Again), a Korea-U.S. shipbuilding cooperation project, will gain momentum.

● Production of large 30,000–40,000-ton battleships bearing Trump’s face

President Trump held a press conference that day at his private residence, the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, accompanied by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense (War) Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of the Navy John Phelan. He stated that he had “approved plans to build the two largest and most powerful new battleships in world history,” and disclosed that he would launch the “Golden Fleet” centered on newly developed 30,000–40,000-ton Trump Class battleships.

The first Trump Class battleship will be named “USS Defiant (Defiant: challenge or defiance).” President Trump claimed that this battleship “will be the fastest, the largest, and 100 times more powerful than any battleship ever built.” The Trump Class will start with two ships and then be expanded to 10, and ultimately to 20–25 ships.

President Trump said, “Construction of the first two ships will begin immediately, with a target of commissioning within two and a half years.” If construction of the USS Defiant is completed in 2028 as planned, the United States will possess a new battleship for the first time in 84 years since the Iowa-class battleship USS Missouri in 1944.

According to the concept image of the USS Defiant released that day, a large emblem showing President Trump raising his fist toward the sky will be attached to the outer wall of the helicopter deck at the stern. The name “Golden Fleet” is also seen as reflecting President Trump’s strong preference for gold.

The newly built battleships including the USS Defiant will be equipped with hypersonic missiles, nuclear cruise missiles, and high-power lasers. Secretary Phelan stressed that “Trump Class battleships will serve as one pillar of America’s new nuclear deterrent.” However, the Associated Press pointed out that the development of nuclear cruise missiles and their deployment on ships could constitute a violation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

President Trump said he would “restore the United States as a great shipbuilding power,” adding that 15 submarines and three aircraft carriers are also being built separately. He also revealed plans to meet next week in Florida with executives from major defense companies to discuss ways to accelerate production schedules for weapons such as the F-35 fighter jet. President Trump warned of a speed push, saying, “Companies that do not perform well will face penalties.”

Analysts say the core objective of the Golden Fleet is likely to be containing China’s naval power. In its recently released National Security Strategy (NSS), the United States identified among its key security goals the defense of the First Island Chain (Kyushu–Okinawa–Taiwan–the Philippines) and Taiwan from China. However, when asked about this that day, President Trump responded, “This is a response aimed at all threats other than China, and I have good relations with Chinese President Xi Jinping.”

Some critics argue that introducing ultra-high-cost battleships is inappropriate at a time when relatively low-cost weapons such as drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) are gaining prominence. Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), estimated that building each Trump Class battleship could cost up to USD 12 billion (about KRW 17.76 trillion), expressing concern over excessive spending. The Washington Post (WP) and others criticized the use of a sitting president’s name for a ship class as overly ostentatious. Traditionally, the United States has named battleships after states and aircraft carriers after former presidents.

● Tailwinds for the Korean shipbuilding industry as a whole

Within the domestic shipbuilding industry, there is a view that the move will have positive effects not only for Hanwha but also for other shipbuilding-related companies such as HD Hyundai. In particular, it is being interpreted as a definitive signal that the Trump administration has decided to use Hanwha’s Philadelphia shipyard in Pennsylvania as a key base for strengthening U.S. Navy capabilities. An industry official said, “To my knowledge, the Philadelphia shipyard is preparing to file for Facility Security Clearance (FCL), which is required for U.S. naval vessel construction,” adding, “There are expectations that the remaining procedures could accelerate.”

There are also heightened expectations that HD Hyundai will participate as a partner of U.S. defense company Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), which is promoting the construction of next-generation small surface combatants as part of the Golden Fleet concept. An industry source predicted, “Considering local U.S. shipyards and production bases, cooperation with Korean shipbuilders is essential, and this will be a boon for the Korean shipbuilding industry as a whole.”

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