Trump has authorized the construction of ships for the U.S. Navy overseas
U.S. President Donald Trump has authorized the construction of ships for the U.S. Armed Forces at foreign shipyards in exceptional cases. At the same time, companies that receive such orders will be required to train American workers, transfer technology, and expand production in the United States.
According to the document, Trump has delegated to the U.S. Secretary of Defense the authority to determine whether the construction of a specific ship at a foreign shipyard is in the interests of national security.
Before entering into such a contract, the administration must notify the U.S. Congress. The contract itself may be signed no earlier than 30 days after Congress receives such notification.
At the same time, the construction of warships outside the United States will be subject to a number of requirements.
Companies that receive orders will be required to:
- establish a shipyard in the United States or acquire a stake in an American shipbuilding company;
- build subsequent ships at a U.S. facility;
- hire and train American workers;
- license shipbuilding technologies in the United States;
- establish a U.S. supply chain.
The memorandum refers to this approach as the “Finnish model.” It draws on the experience of U.S.-Finnish cooperation in building icebreakers for the U.S. Coast Guard.
Within 90 days, the U.S. Secretary of Defense must present a new competitive approach to ship procurement.
The document also provides for the possibility of using proven foreign designs, which may subsequently be modified only in exceptional cases.
The problems facing the U.S. shipbuilding industry stem from the fact that the U.S. cannot maintain the necessary pace of surface ship construction, particularly to counter China.
Among the reasons cited are insufficient attention to design, materials, and manufacturing technologies.
As early as November 2025, it was reported that Washington was seeking to involve Japanese and South Korean shipbuilding companies in addressing the industry’s challenges.
Admiral Daryl Codle, then Chief of Naval Operations, stated that partnerships with Asian allies, particularly Japan and South Korea, could prove decisive through investment, technology exchange, and joint production.
This is stated in a White House memorandum released on August 13.
Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump directed the U.S. Navy to resume using steam catapults to launch aircraft from aircraft carriers. Implementing this decision could cost the U.S. budget billions of dollars.
As a reminder, on August 13, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing tariffs on imports of drones and their components. The new restrictions are set to apply to relevant products imported into the United States.
The White House Office of Management and Budget has officially rescinded the 2023 directive that prohibited the installation and use of the TikTok app on U.S. government officials’ work devices due to national security risks. The decision was made based on a July opinion from the Department of Justice, according to which the social media platform no longer falls under the restrictions of the 2022 law.
The U.S. State Department has revoked more than 175,000 visas for foreign nationals since Donald Trump returned to the presidency. According to the U.S. agency, the rate of visa revocations was roughly four times higher than during the final year of Joe Biden’s presidency, reports The Guardian World.
