U.S. President Donald Trump announced on the afternoon of December 22 (local time) that the U.S. Navy would establish a new class of warships named the "Trump-class," beginning with the construction of two vessels. 

The Trump-class vessels are envisioned to be significantly larger than the Navy's existing Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and are designed as next-generation warships.

These ships are expected to have a displacement of approximately 30,000 tons and will be equipped with advanced technologies such as electromagnetic railguns, directed-energy laser weapons, and expanded long-range missile capabilities.

Officials familiar with the proposal stated that the design leaves room for the integration of hypersonic weapons in the future.

The President made the announcement alongside Secretary of the Army Pete Hegseth and Secretary of the Navy John Phelan at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, where he was on vacation.

President Trump stated that these new warships would be part of his "Golden Fleet" and that there are plans to build up to 25 new warships. These vessels are expected to be "the largest that America has ever built."

President Trump added, "These ships will have 100 times the firepower and capability of existing warships, and there has never been anything like them," noting, "These two ships will be the first of a completely new class of warships to be built for many years to come."

The first vessel is slated to be named the 'USS Defiant,' a move announced just a month after the Navy canceled plans for smaller new warships due to high costs and long delays.

Retired Navy Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery, currently a senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, criticized the Trump-class warships as "something we absolutely do not need."

Critics, including Montgomery, argue that the vessels are not optimized for modern naval warfare, particularly in a conflict with China, and may lack crucial features such as vertical launching systems or integrated Aegis missile defense systems.

They contend that the Navy should instead prioritize submarines, missile-centric platforms, and distributed lethality.

Supporters counter that the proposal reflects concerns about China's rapidly expanding navy and the need to strengthen America's industrial base in shipbuilding.

Administration officials emphasize that expanding shipbuilding capacity and deploying superior warships are essential for long-term competition with Beijing.

Under the plan, the Navy would conduct competitive bidding among shipyards, with the first ship expected to be procured around 2030. Final decisions will require congressional approval and sustained budget allocation.

Trump to Press Defense Contractors on Production Delays

Meanwhile, President Trump stated that he would meet with major defense contractors next week to discuss issues of production delays and cost overruns, adding that the administration is planning an executive order to limit dividends, stock buybacks, and executive compensation.

President Trump indicated that during these discussions, he would examine the role that executive compensation, stock buybacks, and dividends play when companies fail to meet their production targets.

"We are going to start spending money to build airplanes and ships and the things that we need, right now, not 10 or 15 years from now," Trump said.

Reuters reported last week that the administration was planning an executive order to limit dividends, stock buybacks, and executive compensation for defense contractors experiencing budget overruns and delays.

President Trump and the Department of Defense have been critical of the defense industry's costly, slow-moving, and entrenched nature, vowing transformative changes that could accelerate the production of war materiel.

By Sung Ku Hong, Chief Editor of NNP USA / Special Contributor NNP info@newsandpost.com