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Topic: Naval Warfare Blog Brand: The Buzz Region: Americas Tags: Donald Trump, Ford-Class Carrier, Shipbuilding, Ships, United States, US Navy, and Zumwalt-Class Destroyer Trump Is Now Calling for a ‘Golden Fleet’ December 10, 2025 By: Peter Suciu
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President Donald Trump sees that a strong navy is essential for national security, economic welfare, and projecting American influence on the global stage.
President Donald Trump has an affinity for gold, which style experts suggest is attributed to it being a symbol of wealth and power—one that serves as a “security blanket,” providing a constant reminder of his fortune, but also serves to impress others. This explains why Trump employed gold décor in his homes, including at Trump Tower and his Mar-a-Lago club, as well as in the Oval Office.
Trump also dubbed his proposed space-based missile defense system the “Golden Dome for America” and, this month, approved a plan for a “Golden Fleet” for the United States Navy.
The fleet would include a new class of American-made frigates, Navy Secretary John Phelan told Axios on Saturday. Those small surface combatants would be different from the recently scuttled Constellation-class frigates, which were based on the Franco-Italian-designed warships. In addition, it would consist of “Modernized tankers, oilers and logistics ships,” as well as unmanned surface combatants (USCs) and undersea drones.
“The president has talked about what I’m going to call the Big Beautiful Ship,” Phelan further told Axios, “And what I’ll say on that is: Stay tuned.”
America’s Navy Has Come Back Before
The United States Navy has made a significant comeback in the past. Following the American Civil War, the US Navy went through a period of rapid downsizing and sold off its huge wartime fleet. It was left with largely outdated wooden ships while the navies of Europe and even South America began to build steel navies.
The US Navy began to emerge from the “Doldrums” in the 1880s and, by the late 19th century, underwent rapid modernization that allowed the United States to defeat Spain in the Spanish-American War and emerge as a great power.
In December 1907, the US Navy’s “Great White Fleet” set out on a global trek to demonstrate America’s blue-water naval capabilities and to foster goodwill while easing tensions, notably with Japan. The fleet, divided into two squadrons, consisted of 16 modern steel-hulled battleships that sailed for over 14 months, covering 43,000 miles and visiting six continents. The journey, which concluded in February 1909, also provided US Navy officers and sailors with practical experience in much-needed long-distance operations and fleet maneuvers.
A Gilded Fleet for America?
There is no denying that the United States Navy has issues to resolve. Shipbuilding programs continue to run late and over budget. Several programs have been severe misfires, notably the Zumwalt-class destroyers, the Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), and now the Constellation-class frigates. The Gerald R. Ford-class carriers face delays, as does the Virginia-class fast attack submarine program.
“US shipbuilders produce less than 1% of China’s output each year, by tonnage,” Axois reported, adding, “Trump wants to supercharge domestic shipbuilding. Many experts are pessimistic about the degree to which that’s possible in the near term.”
At the core of the problem is a lack of shipyards and a trained workforce, even if additional facilities could be built. These are issues that have been ignored for years and aren’t likely to be resolved by simply calling for a Golden Fleet.
The era in which the Great White Fleet was built was renowned for rapid industrialization, economic growth, and technological innovation. Yet it was infamously known as the “Gilded Age,” as behind the golden surface lay corruption, vast inequality, and economic hardships. That era was fueled by a massive influx of immigrants, who, while living in slums, were willing to work in the factories that produced the steel for the railroads and the Great White Fleet. Others worked in the mines that provided the coal and iron ore.
Beyond the labor issues, there are logistical challenges.
As Breaking Defense reported last month, “designing and building an entirely new class of Navy ships is a prolonged and expensive exercise.”
The United States can’t afford to build new warships. But it needs to get it right this time. It can’t make yet another blunder like the LCS or Zumwalt-class. But also doesn’t need a colorful moniker, especially one that sounds like something a James Bond villain would build.
President Theodore Roosevelt oversaw the construction of the Great White Fleet, but he had been a naval theorist and scholar of naval history. He had served as assistant secretary of the Navy prior to the Spanish-American War. Trump also sees that a strong navy is essential for national security, economic welfare, and projecting American influence on the global stage. Still, Trump needs to step back and let men with vision like Roosevelt’s determine the best course of action. Isn’t there a ballroom that needs to be built?
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.
Image: Shutterstock.com / viper-zero
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Источник: nationalinterest.org