Donald Trump He had scheduled a joint appearance for this Monday from his private residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, with the Secretary of State, Marco Rubiowith the secretary of the War Department, Pete Hegsethand with the Secretary of the Navy, John Phelanto make an “important announcement” related to national security. The expectation was maximum.
Many thought that the announcement would be related to the escalation of tensions with the Venezuela of Nicolas Maduroto some extent that went beyond the seizure of more oil tankers off the coast of the Caribbean country or the indiscriminate attacks with alleged drug boats, which have claimed the lives of more than a hundred people. In short, in some type of broader military operation in the waters of the Caribbean Sea or directed against Venezuela.
On the other hand, according to the agency Associated Pressthe US president intended to announce his plans for the construction of new warships – “battleships”, in Trump’s words – within the framework of his project to create a “Golden Fleet” that, eventually, could have fifty support ships in the medium term. They got it right.
Even before the Republican president’s appearance on stage, escorted by Rubio, Hegseth and Phelan, several posters on both sides of the lectern showed images of a warship with the words “Trump Class USS Defiant.”
It didn’t take long for the tenant of the White House to announce the approval of a plan for the Navy to begin building these “battleships” from scratch. Ships that will also bear his name. He himself will participate in the design of the boats because – he stressed – he is “a very aesthetic person.”
The new battleship will be, according to Trump, “bigger, faster and 100 times more powerful than any warship previously built in the United States.” Phelan confirmed, in this regard, that the Trump-class battleships will be equipped with the “nuclear-capable sea-launched cruise missile.”
“This is just one piece of the president’s golden fleet that we are going to build,” said the Secretary of the Navy, the first person in more than fifteen years to lead the naval branch of the United States Armed Forces without having previous military experience. Not in vain, Phelan was – like other members of the Trump Administration – an investor.
In passing, the Republican president put pressure on the contracting companies, with whom he will meet next week in Florida. Trump wants to accelerate production schedules “because they are too slow, they don’t produce them fast enough.” He wants to have the first 20 or 25 boats as soon as possible. He doesn’t expect to have them, however, for two and a half years.
Trump’s plans try to counteract China Xi Jinpingwhose fleet of 400 ships is already the largest in the world.