December 23, 2025 | 10:43 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - US President Donald Trump on Monday unveiled plans for a new class of Navy ship named after himself.
While speaking at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, the president claimed the "Trump-class" Navy vessels "will be the largest battleship in the history of our country."
The new initiative will start with two "Trump-class" vessels before being expanded to up to 25 new watercraft, which is being dubbed the "Golden Fleet." The first "Trump-class" ship will be called the "USS Defiant."
"The US Navy will lead the design of these ships along with me, because I'm a very aesthetic person," Trump said at the event, with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Navy Secretary John Phelan and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in attendance.
Trump wants to boost US shipbuilding as China expands fleet
The president vowed to "restore America as a major shipbuilding power." The US has grown concerned by China's ever-expanding maritime fleet.
Trump said the ships could be equipped with atomic weapons and would have a weight between 30,000 and 40,000 tons.
The ships are the latest attempt by the US president to leave his mark on the US Armed Forces. Trump has never served in the military.
Naval ships are frequently named after prominent political figures, such as the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier. There are currently not any warships named after Trump.
Trump has previously complained of "rusty" US Navy ships. During his confirmation hearing in February, Navy Secretary Phelan said Trump asked him "numerous times" what he was going to do about corroded US ships.
Plans for new ships also comes amid US naval blockade of Venezuela
The plans to expand the Navy with new battleships also come as the US military engages in a maritime blockade of Venezuela.
The president last week called on the Navy to seize sanctioned oil tankers entering and exiting Venezuela, as the Trump administration puts pressure on Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. The US has seized two oil tankers so far and is reportedly pursuing a third.
"If he wants to do something, if he plays tough, it'll be the last time he'll ever be able to play tough," Trump said at the Mar-a-Lago event, referring to Maduro.
Trump has characterized Maduro's Venezuela as functioning as a narco-trafficking hub. Trump said it would be "smart" for Maduro to step down.
Maduro on Monday shot back at Trump, telling the president he would be "better off" focusing on US domestic issues rather than targeting Venezuela.
"President Trump would be better off in his country and in the world," Maduro said on public Venezuelan television. "He would be better off in his own country on economic and social issues, and he would be better off in the world if he took care of his country's affairs."
Read: US Seizes Another Oil Tanker Off Venezuela
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