US Navy plans $275 billion Trump‑class nuclear warship fleet
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that building 15 nuclear‑powered Trump‑class armored warships will cost about $275 billion over three decades. The lead ship, USS Defiant, is projected at $23.4 billion, while each of the remaining vessels will average roughly $18 billion.
Construction is slated to begin in 2028 and continue through 2056, with a new hull launched roughly every two years. The program, announced by former President Donald Trump in December 2025 as part of a “Golden Fleet” initiative, envisions the largest surface combatants ever built for the United States Navy, equipped with hypersonic missiles, railguns, advanced lasers and cruise missiles.
Analysts warn that U.S. shipyards are already operating at capacity; only Newport News Shipbuilding and General Dynamics Electric Boat can construct nuclear‑propulsion vessels, raising concerns about schedule delays and cost overruns. The plan has drawn criticism from lawmakers such as Senator Jeff Merkley, who called the spending wasteful, while defense officials argue the ships are needed to counter expanding naval capabilities of rivals like China.
Entities: Congressional Budget Office · Donald Trump · Jeff Merkley · Newport News Shipbuilding · USS Defiant · United States · United States Navy
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 4 SOURCES] The first ship, USS Defiant, is projected to cost $23.4 billion. (CBO estimate)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Only Newport News Shipbuilding and General Dynamics Electric Boat are capable of building nuclear‑propulsion warships in the United States. (Industry capacity assessment)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Trump‑class ships will be equipped with hypersonic missiles, railguns, advanced lasers and cruise missiles. (Technical specifications)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Each of the remaining 14 ships will cost about $18 billion. (CBO estimate)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Senator Jeff Merkley criticized the Trump‑class warship program as wasteful. (Senatorial comment)
- [● 4 SOURCES] The Congressional Budget Office estimates the total cost of the 15 Trump‑class nuclear warships at $275 billion. (CBO report cited in all articles)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The program was announced by Donald Trump in December 2025 as part of a “Golden Fleet” initiative. (Program announcement)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Construction of the Trump‑class ships is planned to start in 2028 and continue through 2056, with a new ship roughly every two years. (Program timeline)