Trump Announces Trump-Class Battleships as Largest U.S. Surface Combatants Since WWII

UNITED STATES - President Donald Trump announced approval for the U.S. Navy to develop a new class of large surface combatants designated as the Trump-class, with the lead ship named USS Defiant. The vessels are intended to incorporate advanced offensive systems and form a cornerstone of the proposed Golden Fleet expansion initiative, with initial construction of two units and potential scaling to 20 to 25 ships.

While statements described them as the "largest we've ever built," displacement estimates of 30,000 to 40,000 tons position them below Iowa-class full-load figures of approximately 58,000 tons but as the largest planned since World War II.

The announcement took place at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Navy Secretary John Phelan in attendance. Officials highlighted the program's focus on restoring long-range surface strike capabilities while integrating contemporary technologies to meet evolving maritime threats.

This initiative supersedes prior DDG(X) next-generation destroyer plans, incorporating select elements while pursuing a distinct large-displacement platform. It complements parallel efforts to develop a new frigate class (FF(X)) based on Legend-class cutter designs for improved production rates and fleet agility.

The vessels are projected to displace between 30,000 and 40,000 tons, positioning them as the largest U.S. surface combatants built since World War II. Design features include hypersonic missiles, electromagnetic rail-guns, high-powered directed energy weapons, and compatibility with nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missiles.