Former US President Donald Trump has declared he will personally help to design a new generation of American warships, which are to bear his name. The announcement, made from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, signals a highly unusual move to place a former commander-in-chief at the heart of naval engineering.
The Mar-a-Lago Announcement
Speaking on Monday, 22 December, Trump revealed plans for the new fleet of vessels, to be known as the 'Trump-class'. He stated that his role would be as a co-leader of the design process, citing his self-described 'aesthetic' sensibilities as a key qualification for the task. 'I'm a very aesthetic person,' Trump told attendees, framing his involvement as crucial to the project's visual and functional success.
Key Details of the New Warship Programme
The first of these new ships is planned to be the USS Defiant, which Trump characterised as the future 'largest, deadliest and most versatile' warship in the US naval arsenal. The vessels are not expected to be ready for service until the early 2030s, indicating a long-term development and construction timeline.
Trump will not be working alone on the designs. He confirmed that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio would also be involved in the collaborative effort. This trio's direct involvement in warship design marks a significant departure from standard defence procurement procedures, where such decisions are typically left to naval architects and military experts.
Implications and Reactions
The announcement immediately raises profound questions about the intersection of politics, personal legacy, and defence infrastructure. Placing a former president's name on a class of warships and involving him directly in their design is a historically rare step, likely to spark intense debate regarding procurement protocols and the militarisation of political branding.
Analysts will be watching closely to see how this declaration influences both US defence policy and the industrial planning of American shipyards. The commitment to delivering the USS Defiant within the next decade sets a clear, ambitious target for the Navy and its contractors, with Trump positioning himself as a central figure in its realisation.
