The Trump administration is pursuing an ambitious plan to expand the US Navy and rebuild the country’s shipbuilding industry, describing the effort as a “Golden Fleet” aimed at strengthening American maritime power for decades to come. The strategy was outlined on Tuesday during President Donald Trump’s visit to Sparrows Point in Maryland, where officials announced plans for a new high-tech shipyard.

The administration said the new facility would form part of a broader effort to increase the pace and scale of naval production. Trump said his administration had secured more than $76 billion in funding for shipbuilding, with plans to produce more than 80 new vessels for the Navy. Officials have linked the programme to concerns over the declining capacity of the US shipbuilding sector and the time required to deliver major naval platforms.

The Maryland project is expected to support production of components for Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines, torpedo systems and other submarine equipment. The facility will also work on autonomous underwater vessels, while the administration is seeking to bring newer defence technology companies into large-scale naval manufacturing. The initiative is part of a wider push to combine government investment with private-sector capacity.

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The administration has compared its plans with the Great White Fleet, the US naval force that gained prominence in the early 20th century. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said rebuilding the Navy would require faster production, greater industrial capacity and a stronger domestic manufacturing base. He said the Pentagon and defence companies would need to respond with greater speed and scale to meet what Washington considers the security challenges of the 21st century.

Trump’s naval expansion plans extend beyond the Maryland shipyard. He has directed the Pentagon to address delays and cost increases affecting major Navy programmes, increase competition among shipbuilders and expand the industrial base supporting nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers. In August, a presidential memorandum also directed the Pentagon to prepare plans for a fifth public Navy shipyard, which would be the first new facility of its kind in more than eight decades.

The administration has acknowledged that the US shipbuilding sector faces longstanding structural challenges, including complex vessel designs, repeated design changes, limited competition and weaknesses in the supplier network. Officials argue that expanding production capacity and attracting additional companies could help address those problems. The “Golden Fleet” initiative therefore combines a military expansion with a broader industrial policy focused on restoring the United States’ ability to build naval vessels at a faster pace.

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