In the age of cyber warfare, global logistics chains, and contested sea lanes, the imperative to maintain a robust, sovereign maritime capability may seem like a throwback to the 20th century. But to dismiss it as such is to miss the strategic forest for the digital trees. During his first term, President Donald J. Trump, carved out a lesser-discussed but profoundly consequential legacy in American maritime policy—one that may prove pivotal in our era of great power competition.

This maritime resurgence is not merely about nostalgia or symbolism. It is grounded in the hard realities of geopolitics and our national resilience. As China accelerates its ambitions—constructing warships and commercial vessels at an industrious pace and projecting its influence across the Indo-Pacific and beyond—the United States can no longer afford to outsource its shipbuilding capacity, workforce expertise, or strategic maritime capacity.

To meet this moment, Trump’s administration has now advanced one of the most ambitious revitalization efforts in recent history. It began not with headlines, but with a sustained investment campaign aimed at reawakening America’s dormant shipyards. The administration’s much-discussed “One Big Beautiful Bill” authorizes record-breaking funding for the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard shipbuilding programs, ensuring that American shipyards have the contracts, capital, and confidence necessary to expand capacity and modernize operations.

In his March 4th address to Congress, President Trump set the tone, announcing the creation of a White House Office of Shipbuilding. This was not a ceremonial nod to industrial nostalgia—it was a structural commitment. Within weeks, the president signed an Executive Order titled Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance. The directive charged federal agencies with developing a coordinated Maritime........

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