Cost of Trump’s ‘Golden Fleet’ Hits $275 Billion

The CBO analysis warns that the Navy’s 2027 shipbuilding plan would require a massive shift in production capacity, forcing shipbuilders to double the tonnage of large surface combatants by 2035. Annual funding for these vessels would surge from $11 billion to $19 billion, a financial burden that critics argue ignores modern naval realities. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) dismissed the plan as a "massive military boondoggle," pledging to fight the appropriation in favor of domestic social spending.

Beyond the ballooning costs, the project faces skepticism from military experts who view the battleship as an obsolete relic. Mark Cancian of the Center for Strategic and International Studies notes the design contradicts the current doctrine of "distributed maritime operations," which prioritizes smaller, networked vessels over concentrated, high-value targets. Bernard Loo, a fellow at the Rajaratnam School of International Studies, went further, labeling the proposed ships "bomb magnets" due to their size and high-profile status. Despite the criticism, the administration continues to frame the fleet as a vital tool for maintaining military supremacy and revitalizing the American shipbuilding sector.