Trump Highlights Cooperation for U.S. Naval Expansion, Says He Will "Look at South Korean Companies"

▲ President Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump emphasized the need for shipbuilding cooperation to bolster the U.S. Navy on July 15 (local time), specifically mentioning South Korean companies.

His remarks were interpreted as suggesting the possibility of purchasing vessels from outside the United States.

Attention is now focused on whether shipbuilding cooperation between South Korea and the U.S. will accelerate, following reports that President Trump asked President Lee to quickly build 10 warships during the G7 summit last month.

Attending the Defense Innovation Summit held at the U.S. Army War College in Pennsylvania, President Trump stressed the necessity of expanding U.S. naval power, stating, "We will probably be looking at some companies that come from South Korea and other places."

President Trump added, "They are working with us on ships," and noted, "We will also be buying some ships that are made outside of the region."

He continued, "We need a lot of ships for the Navy," adding, "Our ships are getting old, and we have been out of the business."

It remains somewhat unclear whether the phrase "some ships that are made outside of the region" in President Trump's remarks specifically refers to vessels built outside the United States.

However, given his request to President Lee at the G7 summit last month, asking if he could "quickly build 10 U.S. warships," there is speculation that he may be considering the option of having warships built outside the U.S.

A high-ranking official from the South Korean presidential office also stated on July 9 regarding President Trump's request for naval vessels, "We are getting the impression that (President Trump) is not ruling out building them in South Korea."

The United States, under the Byrnes-Tollefson Act, generally prohibits the construction of naval vessels in foreign countries.

The South Korean government and the shipbuilding industry are hopeful that President Trump will use his executive authority to grant an exception allowing U.S. Navy vessels to be built in South Korea.

The two countries have already agreed to invest 150 billion dollars in shipbuilding cooperation out of a total 350 billion dollars in investments toward the U.S.

The South Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Cooperation Center is scheduled to open in Washington, D.C., on July 23.

Michael Coulter, CEO of Hanwha Defense USA, also attended the event where President Trump spoke.

Other attendees included U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet, and Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg.

In his speech, President Trump announced a new 10 billion dollar defense investment in Pennsylvania, emphasizing that it would create more than 4,000 jobs.

President Trump added, "The workers of Pennsylvania will build the ships, the submarines, the trucks, the weapons, and the industry that will keep America the strongest nation in the history of the world."

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