The estimated cost to build 15 battleships, which form the core of the "Golden Fleet" pursued by U.S. President Donald Trump, has surged significantly.

According to the New York Times (NYT) on the 5th (local time), the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated the construction cost of the Defiant, the lead ship of the new Trump-class battleships, at $23.4 billion (approx. 33.2 trillion won).

This amount is $8 billion (approx. 11.34 trillion won) higher than the U.S. Navy's previous projections.

The cost for each of the remaining battleships has also increased to $18 billion (approx. 25.5 trillion won), bringing the total estimated cost for all 15 ships to $275 billion (approx. 389.8 trillion won)—more than 50% higher than the initial estimate.

The CBO projected that it will take at least eight years just to build the first-of-its-kind lead ship.

This starkly contrasts with President Trump's initial vision of producing two battleships within two and a half years.

A change in the power source is pointed to as the cause of the soaring costs.

Several months after unveiling his vision in December 2025, President Trump directed that specifications be changed to nuclear propulsion instead of the gas turbine engines originally planned.

As a result, the design and construction methods underwent major revisions, which is analyzed to have sharply driven up the unit cost.

President Trump hopes to build a Golden Fleet consisting of up to 25 nuclear-propelled battleships.

The CBO estimated that if all of them are built, the total project cost would reach $455 billion (approx. 645.4 trillion won).

Expressing affection for the battleships that served during World War II, President Trump has vowed to revive them in a modern form to demonstrate overwhelming naval power.

In a shipbuilding plan announced on May 11 of this year, the U.S. Navy stated its policy to introduce at least 15 Trump-class battleships by 2055.

The plan also included leveraging the strengths of reliable allies to supplement shipbuilding capacity, drawing attention to whether it could present long-term opportunities for South Korea's shipbuilding industry.

Negative opinions have emerged among U.S. politicians and experts regarding the feasibility of the Golden Fleet project.

Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), the top Democrat on the U.S. Senate Budget Committee, asked the CBO to investigate the Golden Fleet project.

"At a time when American families are squeezed by the costs of groceries, gas, health care, and child care, we cannot squander hundreds of billions of dollars on a Golden Fleet featuring new battleships bearing Trump's name," Merkley said.

Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) stated in a release on this day that funding related to the Golden Fleet has been completely zeroed out in a stopgap spending bill that runs through December 11.

The NYT reported that the U.S. Navy has not built new battleships on schedule and within budget in recent years, leaving it uncertain for now whether even a single ship from the Golden Fleet project can be built.

The U.S. Navy recently canceled plans to build the Constellation-class frigate, while littoral combat ships have faced setbacks due to defects, with some already beginning to be decommissioned.

Ford-class aircraft carriers have also experienced construction setbacks due to mechanical and electrical system issues following the commissioning of the lead ship, with only one currently operational and the delivery of the other two delayed by several years.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)