Trump Says "Will Consider Korean Companies" to Strengthen U.S. Navy...Expectations Rise for Expanded Shipbuilding Cooperation

U.S. President Donald Trump has directly mentioned South Korea as a potential partner in expanding the nation's naval power through shipbuilding cooperation. While he did not specify individual company names, he suggested that the U.S. may consider purchasing vessels built outside the United States. This marks a possible shift in U.S. policy, which has generally restricted the construction of military vessels overseas, and has led to speculation that collaboration with South Korean shipbuilders could significantly expand.

Reuters Yonhap News

On the 15th (local time), President Trump attended the 'Defense Innovation Summit' held at the U.S. Army War College in Pennsylvania. Emphasizing the need to expand the Navy, he said, "We will probably be looking at some companies from South Korea and from other regions."

He also indicated the possibility of purchasing ships built abroad, diverging from current regulations. President Trump said, "They are cooperating with us on ships," and added, "We will also be purchasing some ships built outside this region." According to the current Burns-Tollefson Act, the United States essentially prohibits the construction and procurement of naval vessels from foreign sources.

It is still unclear whether the "ships outside this region" mentioned by President Trump specifically refer to foreign-built vessels. However, this is not the first time President Trump has publicly discussed purchasing warships from South Korea. At last month's Group of Seven (G7) Summit, he reportedly asked President Lee Jaemyoung if South Korea could build 10 naval ships for the United States. During the official welcoming dinner at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit, the two leaders continued follow-up discussions regarding the construction of military vessels. Related to this, a senior official at the Presidential Office in Seoul recently commented, "We have the impression that building them in South Korea is not being excluded," and added, "We need to find out exactly what means are being proposed."

President Trump also mentioned the construction of two National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMV), a project reportedly awarded to Hanwha Philly Shipyard, valued at $1.5 billion (approximately 2.2296 trillion won). He said, "We will be building massive national security multi-mission vessels at the beautiful and historic Philadelphia shipyard," adding, "I have met everyone in charge of this project. The total value is expected to be $1.5 billion." He continued, "Many ships will be built there." On the same day, U.S. Senator Dave McCormick (Republican) issued a press statement announcing a new $10 billion investment plan, noting that Hanwha Philly Shipyard had newly secured a contract from the U.S. Maritime Administration to build National Security Multi-Mission Vessels, valued at $1.5 billion. McCormick's office added, "More than 2,000 jobs are expected to be created."

The United States is facing significant challenges in maintaining naval strength, as delays in the maintenance of aging vessels coincide with setbacks in building new ships. At the event, President Trump highlighted, "We need many more ships for the Navy. Our ships are aging, and we have virtually stepped away from that sector."

Some observers argue that the objective should go beyond merely maintaining the size of the fleet, and instead aim for expansion. To respond to the growth of China's naval power and the increasing threat from anti-ship missiles, the U.S. may need to increase the size of its fleet and distribute firepower across more vessels. As of May 1 of this year, the U.S. Navy's fleet comprised 291 vessels. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report "An Analysis of the Navy's Fiscal Year 2025 Shipbuilding Plan," the U.S. Navy is targeting a fleet of 381 vessels. If the 2025 plan is followed—procuring 364 new ships over 30 years, including replacements for retiring vessels—the fleet is projected to reach 390 ships by 2054. CBO estimates that the cost of constructing these new vessels alone would total $1.075 trillion based on 2024 values.

President Trump's remarks on this day have further heightened expectations for shipbuilding industry cooperation between South Korea and the United States. Last year, out of $350 billion invested by South Korea in the United States, $150 billion was committed to shipbuilding cooperation with the U.S. This initiative is known as the MASGA project (Make American Shipbuilding Great Again). In connection with this, the Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Cooperation Center is scheduled to open in Washington, D.C. on the 23rd of this month. The center aims to support local network-building and share policy trends, while also facilitating collaboration between Korean and American companies, improving productivity at U.S. shipyards, and developing workforce training programs.

Meanwhile, at the event attended by President Trump, Michael Coulter, CEO of Hanwha Defense USA, was also present. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet, and Boeing CEO Kelly Otteberg were among the other attendees.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.