Trump-class battleship anchor US Navy's expansive USD 377.5B "Golden Fleet" budget request to counter PLAN's rise
Apr 23, 2026
The budget, released by the Department of the Navy, marks a 23 per cent increase over the previous fiscal year and forms part of President Donald Trump's USD1.5 trillion national defence topline submitted earlier this month. It combines large-scale shipbuilding, aircraft procurement and munitions expansion, with the design and development of a new class of large surface combatants emerging as the most notable feature.