The planned nuclear-powered Trump-class battleship could place further pressure on already stretched US naval reactor supply chains, adding to doubts about Australia’s chances of receiving Virginia-class submarines.

The outsized ego of Donald Trump is the latest hurdle for AUKUS, specifically his desire to have a new class of battleship built, named in his honour.

That hurdle comes because the US Navy has confirmed that its planned Trump-class guided-missile battleship, whose lead ship would be USS Defiant, will now be nuclear-powered.

This propulsion decision could have consequences by placing additional pressure on US aircraft-carrier construction and the naval nuclear industrial base, but crucially for Australia – as Navy Lookout reports – has potential implications for the AUKUS submarine program.

When the Trump-class battleship was unveiled at the end of 2025, the US Navy’s initial concept was for conventional integrated electric propulsion using gas turbines and diesel generators. Now, however, it has been confirmed the battleship class will be nuclear-powered – the first........

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