Trump-class battleship, lead ship USS Defiant

Date

Dec 22, 2025

Scope

Federal

Status

Proposed

Source

news.usni.org ↗

What it is

A proposed new US Navy surface combatant class

Who did it

President Trump

Detail

Announced as the largest US surface combatant since the Second World War. Naming a battleship class for a person breaks the Navy convention of naming battleships for states. In July 2026 the White House sought a $1bn stopgap anomaly for advance procurement; the House Appropriations Committee's defense bill provides $1bn and the House NDAA would authorise it, barring a lead-ship contract until the technology is certified mature, while the Senate NDAA would authorise none.