Trump Orders Navy to Build New Aircraft Carrier with Steam Catapults, A Reflection of His Aesthetic Over Strategy

Trump Orders Steam Catapults on USS Doris Miller

President Donald Trump has ordered a major design shift for the future aircraft carrier USS Doris Miller, demanding that the vessel be outfitted with traditional steam catapults instead of modern electromagnetic launch systems. According to reporting by The Atlantic, the presidential directive disrupts ongoing construction and introduces a potential logistical nightmare for the U.S. Navy. Although parts of the ship are already under construction ahead of its planned assembly later this year, the administration wants a return to the technology that powered older fleets.

Engineering Hurdles Threaten Budgets and Deadlines

The pivot back to steam power at this advanced stage of development threatens to delay the building process and dramatically increase costs for taxpayers.

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General Atomics, the contractor responsible for the ship’s Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), released a statement warning that nearly 50 percent of production is complete and that changing course now introduces significant cost, schedule, and integration risks. Electrical infrastructure cannot be easily swapped for steam once a ship’s internal layout has been mapped. Areas that might have housed necessary pipes have already been designated for other structural purposes. Bryan Clark, a naval analyst at the Hudson Institute, noted that such an extreme redesign of the ship’s interior could cost the Navy billions of dollars.

Weighing Mechanical Force Against EMALS Reliability

Over the past nine years, Trump has frequently voiced his preference for steam power, praising the aesthetic and raw force of steam propelling fighter jets off carrier decks. While the Gerald Ford class introduced EMALS to improve efficiency and reduce maintenance over the long term, the system’s lengthy development faced heavy criticism. However, naval experts point out that electromagnetism remains a more reliable method for launching aircraft in modern combat scenarios, requiring fewer repairs in the aggregate than older mechanical systems. Trump’s argument that steam is a cheaper alternative overlooks the long-term maintenance realities of operating complex modern warships.

Aesthetic Overhauls and the Multi-Billion-Dollar Cost

The naval directive aligns with a broader pattern of presidential interventions focused on military and architectural aesthetics. Beyond the USS Doris Miller, Trump has explored shifting command centers on new carriers forward to mimic World War II-era vessels and announced plans for a new class of battleships bearing his own name.

According to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office, these “Trump class” ships could cost American taxpayers roughly $275 billion. As the U.S. military confronts pressing operational challenges—including munition shortages and strain on deployed sailors—critics argue that redirecting resources toward aesthetic vanity projects risks undermining strategic readiness.