Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleJosh MarcusFriday 07 August 2026 01:12 BSTTrump unveils ‘Trump-class’ battleships for US Navy’s ‘Golden Fleet’President Donald Trump's planned “Golden Fleet” of battleships is projected to cost over $455 billion, according to a new government estimate, significantly exceeding initial cost projections.The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that building the first 15 ships in the program could cost about $275 billion, with the first ship alone costing $23 billion.Democrats are strongly opposing the project, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer calling it a “vanity project” and pushing to strip its funding from budget negotiations.The CBO attributes the escalating costs to President Trump's insistence on nuclear-powered ships and the necessity for U.S. shipyards to more than double their output of large ships by 2035.Outside experts are skeptical of the plan, citing the immense cost, lengthy design and construction times, and the Navy's current strategic shift towards smaller, more nimble vessels.In fullTrump’s ‘Golden Fleet’ of battleships could cost $455B, blowing past original estimatesMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in