Trump's 'Golden Fleet/Golden Dome' concept is in danger of running aground due to defeat in the midterm elections

(Washington = Yonhap News) Correspondent Hong Jeong-gyu = US President Donald Trump's 'Golden Fleet' and 'Golden Dome' plans are in danger of running aground due to the Republican Party's defeat in the midterm elections, US military media outlet The War Zone reported on the 9th (local time).

The introduction of the Golden Fleet was announced by President Trump at the end of last year. The flagship of this fleet is the 'Trump-class battleship', and the plan is to upgrade battle ships that were retired after being very active during World War II and reintroduce them as nuclear-powered battleships equipped with cruise missiles, hypersonic weapons, electromagnetic rail guns, and high-power lasers.

The U.S. Navy has proposed a plan to order at least 15 Trump-class battleships from fiscal year 2029 to fiscal year 2055. The first battleship will be named 'USS Defiant' and is scheduled to be commissioned in 2036.

President Trump mentioned cooperation with Hanwha, which acquired the U.S. Philadelphia shipyard, in the construction of a new frigate (frigate) to be included in the Golden Fleet in December last year, drawing attention that the MASGA (Make American Shipbuilding Great Again) project, Korea's investment project in the U.S. shipbuilding industry, will gain momentum.

However, The War Zone pointed out that questions have been raised about its feasibility considering the enormous construction costs, utility value, and U.S. construction capabilities. According to estimates by the Congressional Budget Office, the cost of constructing the USS Defiant is up to $23 billion.

In particular, the media reported that as the Democratic Party gains control of the Senate and House of Representatives, the construction of Trump-class battleships, the core of the Golden Fleet project, is likely to rank first in budget cuts in the defense sector. The fact that there are only two shipyards in the United States capable of building ships of this scale and only one supplier of nuclear reactors for naval use also adds to the difficulty of pursuing the project.

Representative Adam Smith (Democrat, Washington), who is expected to be the next chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said in a letter to members of the same party, "What we need is not a fleet of nuclear-powered warships as proposed by the President, but an appropriate combination of highly survivable, advanced weapon systems and low-cost, expendable power."

Representative Joe Courtney (Democrat, Connecticut), who is likely to serve as chairman of the Naval Power and Power Projection Subcommittee under the Armed Services Committee, is also a person who has publicly criticized the introduction of Trump-class battleships.

Mark Cancian, a senior advisor in the defense and security division at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), predicted to The War Zone, "It is highly likely that the Trump-class battleship will eventually be scrapped for two reasons: the fact that it has the name Trump attached to it, the project costs are extremely high, and the basis for its promotion is weak."

The Golden Dome initiative, which is intended to be introduced as a next-generation air missile defense system, is also expected to suffer setbacks. Golden Dome is a concept that uses satellites and radar to detect and intercept intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) launched toward the United States from the launch stage.

General Michael Getlein of the U.S. Space Force, who oversees the Golden Dome initiative, warned in August that the project could be halted completely if major budgetary obstacles are not overcome.

The Trump administration requested $1.5 trillion as a defense budget for fiscal year 2027, but Rep. Smith emphasized in the letter, "We will thoroughly reexamine the National Defense Strategy (NDS)," and "We must develop a realistic and sustainable approach (to budget issues)."

In addition, The War Zone reported that reintroducing old steam catapults and hydraulic elevators to aircraft carriers and moving the multi-story tower (island) that serves as the aircraft carrier's command center to the center of the hull are also subject to a fundamental review. Initially, it was pointed out that this change order reflected President Trump's 'retro' taste.