Trump issues memorandum to boost U.S. shipbuilding and naval capacity

On Thursday, President Trump signed a presidential memorandum to revitalize the United States' dwindling shipbuilding sector and to strengthen the Navy's operational capabilities. Citing design complexity and a lack of competition as causes of cost growth and cancellations, the order proposes greater cooperation with foreign shipbuilders, using the Finland Model as a template for three additional ship classes. The model requires foreign firms to build initial vessels abroad before shifting production to U.S. yards they must own or invest in, while hiring and training American workers and sourcing domestic supply chains.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, together with Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao, must submit a 120-day plan to boost nuclear submarine and carrier readiness, including the creation of a fifth public Navy yard with sufficient dry-dock capacity. A separate 60-day plan will outline the replacement of the electromagnetic aircraft launch system on the future USS Doris Miller with steam and hydraulic alternatives, a shift that could demand major redesign work. The memorandum builds on a prior 2025 executive order and the Maritime Action Plan aimed at reversing the long-term decline in U.S. shipbuilding.