- President Donald Trump's planned “Golden Fleet” of battleships is projected to cost over $455 billion, according to a new government estimate, significantly exceeding initial cost projections.
- The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that building the first 15 ships in the program could cost about $275 billion, with the first ship alone costing $23 billion.
- Democrats are strongly opposing the project, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer calling it a “vanity project” and pushing to strip its funding from budget negotiations.
- The CBO attributes the escalating costs to President Trump's insistence on nuclear-powered ships and the necessity for U.S. shipyards to more than double their output of large ships by 2035.
- Outside experts are skeptical of the plan, citing the immense cost, lengthy design and construction times, and the Navy's current strategic shift towards smaller, more nimble vessels.
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