President Donald Trump has announced that a new class of United States Navy warships will be named the “Trump class,” describing the vessels as the largest and most powerful ever built in the country’s naval history.
Speaking at a White House event on shipbuilding and national security, Trump said the move was part of a broader effort to revive American shipyards and counter China’s rapidly expanding maritime fleet.
“These ships will be the biggest, the strongest, and the most advanced warships the world has ever seen,” Trump said. “The Trump class will show American strength on the seas like never before.”
According to the president, the new vessels will be constructed entirely in U.S. shipyards, a decision he said would create thousands of jobs while restoring America’s dominance in naval manufacturing. He accused previous administrations of allowing the U.S. shipbuilding industry to decline, while China invested heavily in expanding its navy.
China now operates the world’s largest navy by number of vessels, a development U.S. defense officials have repeatedly cited as a strategic challenge in the Indo-Pacific region.
Trump said the Trump-class ships would play a key role in maintaining freedom of navigation and deterring adversaries, adding that the United States “must always have the strongest navy, by far.”
The announcement is expected to spark debate, as U.S. naval vessels have traditionally been named after states, historic figures, or significant national ideals rather than sitting presidents. Critics are likely to question both the precedent and the symbolism of naming a class of warships after a serving commander-in-chief.
The Navy has not yet released technical specifications, cost estimates, or a construction timeline for the proposed Trump-class vessels.
