New U.S. Warships Named After Trump Could Cost $275 Billion

A proposed new class of U.S. warships bearing Donald Trump's name is projected to cost $275 billion, making them among the most expensive warships ever built, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The CBO, an independent parliamentary agency, released a report detailing the significant financial undertaking.

The first nuclear-powered vessel in this new fleet is estimated to cost approximately $23.4 billion. The remaining 14 ships in the planned fleet of 15 battleships would each cost an average of $18 billion. For comparison, the USS Gerald Ford, currently the world's largest aircraft carrier, cost about $13.3 billion in 2008, which would exceed $20 billion in 2026 dollars.

President Trump announced his plan for this new class of warships in December, an honor typically reserved for leaders after they have left office. The CBO report indicates these vessels will be heavily armed, equipped with anti-air and surface-to-surface missiles, hypersonic weapons, nuclear cruise missiles, lasers, and an electromagnetic cannon.

While larger than current U.S. destroyers and cruisers, their displacement will be slightly less than that of the former Iowa-class battleships, which were retired in the 1990s. The report also touches upon Washington's perceived significant naval lag behind Beijing, noting concerns raised by military officials and observers regarding China's shipbuilding pace.