Everything we know so far about Trump's "Golden Fleet" and its likely ships
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President Trump's "Golden Fleet" appears to be a reality, even if there are few public details about the ships.
The big picture: Though the ships may not be fitted with gold, Trump's interest in gold continues to impact more than the Oval Office, including his push for a proposed hemispheric missile shield called the Golden Dome, and now, seemingly, an armada.
State of play: Many eyes are on the potential collection of ships after Navy Secretary John Phelan told Axios over the weekend that Trump signed off on a "Golden Fleet."
- "We will continue to build ships that are the cornerstones of the fleet. Carriers. Destroyers. Amphibs. Submarines," the Navy secretary said.
- Many details of how the fleet would look remain unclear.
The intrigue: On Tuesday, the Navy unveiled the "ShipOS" with Palantir to speed up shipbuilding.
Here's what we know about the Golden Fleet so far.
What is Trump's Golden Fleet?
Context: Phelan told Axios at the Reagan National Defense Forum in California over the weekend that the fleet is an actual armada, approved by Trump.
- "We will build a Golden Fleet," Phelan wrote on X. "We will invest smartly in the cornerstones of American seapower — carriers, destroyers, amphibs, and submarines but we also need new ships."
- He said Trump has teased a "big, beautiful ship," but did not share any additional details.
Between the lines: Phelan, Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Office of Management and Budget director Russell Vought all met to discuss the fleet.
What ships are in Trump's Golden Fleet?
Many details remain unclear about the Golden Fleet, but Phelan did offer some insight into what one might expect, Axios' Colin Demarest writes.
- There will be an American-made frigate that is based on a design from the Constellation-class, which Phelan previously axed.
- There are also plans for modern tankers, oilers and logistics ships and unmanned technology, he said.
Would the Golden fleet have battleships?
The armada could potentially feature battleships weighing 15,000 to 20,000 tons, per The Wall Street Journal, which would be much larger than modern destroyers.
- They would also feature offensive strike capabilities, including hypersonic weapons, WSJ reports.
- The Golden Fleet armada would team up those ships with other vessels.
Trump's call for a Golden Fleet
Trump's White House proposed the Golden Fleet to combat the growing Chinese naval threat, per the Center for Maritime Strategy.
- The ships would emphasize stronger firing power for the Navy, the center said.
- "The future of naval warfare is rapidly evolving, driven by technological advancements, shifting geopolitical threats, and strategic necessities," the center said.
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