The U.S. Navy’s ambitious plan to build a new generation of nuclear-powered battleships is facing scrutiny on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers continue to express concern that America’s struggling shipbuilding industry may be unable to meet its existing demands, let alone support the effort to build enormous new warships that the U.S. Navy and White House view as necessary to survive a modern naval battlefield defined by long-range missile threats.
What the House Armed Services Committee Said
Trump-Class Battleship USS Defiant. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Trump-Class Battleship. Image Credit: Creative Commons/White House.
Fresh concerns were expressed about President Donald Trump’s plans for the so-called “Golden Fleet,” a new fleet of ships that includes the Trump-class battleship. Supporters of the vessel, including senior naval officials, say that the enormous new warships would restore American naval dominance and provide unprecedented firepower, but the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) has expressed doubt that it’s all possible.
Earlier this month, the committee voted to advance the national defense budget bill for 2027 after passing several amendments. Democrat Congressman Joe Courtney’s amendment, among the changes passed, called for the Navy secretary to publish a report by the end of March 2027 outlining how the BBG(X) guided-missile battleship can be built without disrupting nuclear shipbuilding programs already underway. The amendment clearly indicates concern within Congress about the ambitious plan’s feasibility.
What is the Trump-Class Battleship?
The BBG(X), which is officially designated as a guided-missile battleship, was first unveiled by President Donald Trump in December 2025. It is part of the “Golden Fleet” initiative, with the BBG(X) expected to serve as its centerpiece.
“BB” denotes that it is a battleship, while “G” indicates its use of guided missiles, and “X” signifies that it is still under development.
It is unlike any battleship that has come before it. Unlike the famous Iowa-class battleships of the Second World War, the Trump-class is envisioned as a heavily armed arsenal ship capable of delivering long-range strikes while also supporting fleet operations. The vessel is described as a “strike-centric” platform that delivers substantial offensive firepower while operating alongside several other advanced defensive systems.
Iowa-Class Battleship Firing 16-inch Guns. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Copy negative of the US Navy (USN) Iowa Class (as built) Battleship USS NEW JERSEY (BB 62) firing a 21-gun broadside. Exact date shot unknown. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Iowa-Class Battleship USS Iowa. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
The Navy’s recently published 30-year shipbuilding plan indicates the service intends to procure 15 Trump-class battleships by 2055, with the first procurement request expected in fiscal year 2028. If all goes according to plan and the program does not face the kind of resistance usually expected for any single proposal from the Trump administration, the lead ship should be delivered by 2036. That first vessel will be known as USS Defiant.
A Nuclear-Powered Ship With Advanced Weapons
Details released by the Navy so far indicate that the Trump-class will be among the most heavily armed surface combatants ever designed by the United States. At present, the design is expected to displace up to 40,000 tons, making the ship significantly larger than existing Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.
They will also be nuclear-powered, meaning that the ship will offer greater range and endurance, as well as higher speeds.
Importantly, the nuclear power plant will also ensure that the ship can support future directed-energy weapons, which a conventionally powered ship could not support.
The Trump-class is also expected to field hypersonic Conventional Prompt Strike missiles and will feature large vertical launch systems capable of firing a variety of weapons. Many of the weapons and technologies expected to operate on the Trump-class are still under development, however, making this a truly next-generation effort.
Business & Industrial Challenges: Nuclear Shipbuilding Under Strain
The structure of America’s shipbuilding enterprise is the primary reason legislators are concerned about the Trump-class, though politics always comes into play, too. The United States has just two shipyards capable of constructing nuclear-powered vessels: Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia and General Dynamics Electric Boat in Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Of those two facilities, only Newport News builds nuclear-powered surface combatants. Both yards are also under pressure as they build the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines and the Virginia-class attack submarines. That stress is also becoming visible.
Iowa-Class Battleship Overhead 1980s. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Anchored off Piraeus, Greece, April 1946. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives.
The Columbia-class program, which is currently the Navy’s top acquisition priority as it is expected to replace the outgoing Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines that form part of America’s nuclear deterrent, has faced several delays. Many of its problems relate to a combination of supply chain disruptions and workforce shortages.
The Navy has also acknowledged that Virginia-class production is below the rate required by its existing plans, and the service is struggling to consistently deliver two boats per year. Add to that the fact that Ford-class aircraft carriers are facing cost overruns and shortages, and it’s clear there’s a problem.
Throw the Trump-class into the mix – which is easily the most ambitious project ever pursued for this industry – and it shouldn’t be surprising that there are concerns about industrial capacity.
Nonetheless, the White House and Navy leadership, along with industry partners, believe that the Trump-class is achievable.
About the Author: Jack Buckby
Jack Buckby is a British researcher and analyst specializing in defense and national security, based in New York. His work focuses on military capability, procurement, and strategic competition, producing and editing analysis for policy and defense audiences. He brings extensive editorial experience, with a career output spanning over 1,000 articles at 19FortyFive and National Security Journal, and has previously authored books and papers on extremism and deradicalization.
