Net Assessment

A Broadside Against Battleships

In this episode of Net Assessment, Melanie Marlow (CSIS), Chris Preble (Stimson Center), and Zach Cooper (AEI) dissect the Trump administration’s proposal to build a new class of 30,000‑40,000‑ton "Trump‑class" battleships, dubbed the Golden Fleet. They examine the strategic rationale, questioning the relevance of battleships in modern warfare, the feasibility of integrating hypersonic, rail‑gun, and laser weapons, and whether the U.S. maritime industrial base can deliver such vessels on budget and schedule. The panel highlights the broader context of escalating tensions with Iran and the lack of congressional oversight, while stressing that the Navy’s real needs lie in practical shipbuilding and capability gaps rather than symbolic, oversized platforms.