Summary
President Donald Trump claimed he personally redesigned new Coast Guard ships during a Thanksgiving address at Mar-a-Lago. The U.S. is expanding its Coast Guard fleet, awarding a contract to build more ships, as China increases its naval presence. President Trump's involvement in the design process is not part of the official Coast Guard acquisition programs.
Key Facts
- President Trump spoke to military members at Mar-a-Lago, discussing his role in redesigning Coast Guard ships.
- The U.S. has awarded a $507 million contract to build 10 new Sentinel-class ships.
- China has the largest navy and coast guard by ship count, with over 370 ships and 150 large coast guard vessels.
- The U.S. Coast Guard fleet will grow from 59 to 77 Sentinel-class vessels.
- The first of these new ships will be delivered by 2028.
- The U.S. also signed an agreement with Finland to build new icebreakers.
- Ship designs are typically handled by naval architects and shipyards, not the president.
- The Coast Guard modernization aims to match China's and Russia's expansions.
