The United States Navy is conducting a review of the Ford-class aircraft carrier design, one of its most advanced and expensive warships, following repeated complaints from President Donald Trump. Navy Secretary John Phelan confirmed the review, which is expected to conclude next month, describing it as “a prudent and practical” move to assess costs and systems.
When asked whether the review could lead to the cancellation of future Ford-class carriers, Phelan told reporters it was “too early to say, but we will have carriers.” The USS Gerald R. Ford, the lead ship of the class, has been on a record-setting deployment of over 300 days since June 2025, participating in operations against Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and in the war against Iran.
President Trump has publicly criticised the Ford-class, particularly its electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS), which he claimed “didn’t work” in previous remarks. Despite this, a Navy statement praised the class as “a battle-proven design” with faster aircraft launch rates than older Nimitz-class carriers.
Phelan indicated he would “trust and verify” the data on the carrier’s performance, including launch and recovery capabilities. The Navy has three other Ford-class carriers under construction: USS John F. Kennedy, USS Enterprise, and USS Dorie Miller. The review will also examine two future carriers, named USS William Jefferson Clinton and USS George W. Bush by the previous administration, which have not yet been contracted.
Trump has unveiled his own warship design, the Trump-class battleship, estimated to cost over $17 billion, some $4 billion more than a Ford-class carrier. The Navy does not plan to fund the lead ship, USS Defiant, until the 2028 budget year. Phelan noted that the cost estimate is preliminary and expected to decrease as the design matures, though he did not rule out nuclear propulsion, which would further increase expenses.
