TRANSFORMING U.S. SHIPBUILDING: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum to fix critical long-term issues in Navy shipbuilding and ship repair programs and restore capacity and competition to the maritime industrial base.

• The Memorandum directs the Secretary of War to replace the Advanced Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch Systems and the Advanced Weapons Elevators with traditional steam and hydraulic systems during the construction of CVN-81.
• The Memorandum directs the Department of War to pursue more direct investments in the American shipbuilding industrial base based off of the successful “Finland model,” which was first employed with the Coast Guard’s medium icebreaker program.
  • As foreign shipbuilders make substantial and durable investments into America’s shipyards and train an all-American workforce for the jobs they create, they will be temporarily permitted to build up to two ships in their parent shipyards that will be delivered to bridge gaps on a quick turnaround, while additional ships will be built in revitalized American shipyards.
• The Memorandum directs the Secretary of War to establish a fifth Naval shipyard, the first in over 80 years, to increase the Nation’s submarine and aircraft carrier repair capacity. 
• The Memorandum directs the Secretary of War to establish a Component Repair Center capable of holding, repairing, and refurbishing critical components for all current major submarine programs.
• The Memorandum directs the Secretary of War to undertake a full review, reform, and reorganization of Naval Sea Systems Command to address chronic challenges in American naval shipbuilding.

ADDRESSING PERSISTENT FAILURES IN SHIPBUILDING: President Trump is revitalizing America’s shipbuilding industry, which is essential to the national security and economic prosperity of the United States. 

• The U.S. Navy has experienced several shipbuilding setbacks stemming from overly complex designs and iterative design change procedures, which have resulted in cost growth, delays, and cancellations.  
• A lack of capacity and competition has resulted in large backlogs of orders across six major Navy shipbuilding programs and a commercial shipbuilding sector that is not globally competitive.
• An atrophied shipbuilding industrial base, coupled with diminished adjacent supplier bases, has expanded delays and increased costs.  

RESTORING AMERICA’S MARITIME DOMINANCE: President Trump is decisively ushering in a new Maritime Golden Age, expanding commercial shipbuilding capacity, building a resilient workforce, and strengthening alliances. 

• During the March 2025 joint address to Congress, President Trump promised to “resurrect the American shipbuilding industry, including commercial shipbuilding and military shipbuilding.”
• President Trump directed the largest increase in Naval strength since President Reagan, committing to the submarines, destroyers, aircraft carriers, and battleships the nation needs, and directed the largest investments into the U.S. Coast Guard in history.
• President Trump established a new Office of Maritime and Industrial Capacity at the National Security Council in the White House to prioritize American Maritime Dominance.
• In April 2025, President Trump signed a historic Executive Order to restore American Maritime Dominance, strengthening the nation’s economic and national security.
• President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cuts included nearly $9 billion to build a series of heavy, medium, and light arctic security cutters (ASCs).
• In October 2025, President Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum to authorize the construction of up to four ASCs abroad to address urgent national security needs in the Arctic region.
• In February 2026, the White House released its Maritime Action Plan, which expands the Maritime Industrial Base to include investment and expansion of commercial and defense shipbuilding capabilities, component supply chains, ship repair and marine transportation capabilities, port infrastructure, and the adjacent workforce.