U.S. Navy considers redesigning Ford-class carriers to match Trump’s preference for WWII-era look
The proposed changes could delay the programme and add billions of dollars in costs, officials say
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made

U.S. Navy considers redesigning Ford-class carriers to match Trump’s preference for WWII-era look
Photograph: Joe.My.God. (embedded from source)
What this story says
- The U.S. Navy is assessing whether to move the command tower on Ford-class aircraft carriers forward, closer to the centre of the ship, to resemble World War II-era carriers.
- President Donald Trump has pushed for the redesign, citing a preference for the older aesthetic, according to current and former U.S. officials.
- The Congressional Budget Office estimates the proposed "Trump-class" warships could cost $2.75 trillion over 30 years, or $180 billion per ship.
- Previous studies during Trump’s first term found that moving the tower could cost billions and cause significant delays to the carrier programme.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 27 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 11 of the 38 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .
Trust
78/100
Craft
95/100
Hype
18/100
38 sources · methodology
Missing from the right
Only 5 of the 27 outlets with a published leaning rating that ran this story are rated right.
A reader who follows the right would not have seen this. We report the absence rather than explain it: outlets choose what to cover for many reasons, and we have no evidence about which one applies here.
The U.S. Navy is evaluating a redesign of its Ford-class aircraft carriers to move the command tower, known as the island, from the rear of the ship toward the middle. The change would make the carriers resemble those used during World War II. The review follows requests from President Donald Trump, who has expressed a preference for the older design, according to seven current and former U.S. officials cited by the Washington Post.
The Ford-class carriers, the newest in the U.S. fleet, are designed with the island at the rear to improve efficiency and safety. Officials told the Washington Post that the rear placement allows for more space near the catapults, reducing the time needed to launch aircraft and lowering the risk of turbulence during landings. The first and only operational Ford-class carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, entered service in 2017.
Trump has previously intervened in naval design decisions. On 13 August 2026, he signed a memorandum directing the Navy to replace the electromagnetic catapults on the carriers with steam-powered versions, a move that officials warned could also delay construction and increase costs. The Navy studied a similar redesign during Trump’s first term and concluded that moving the island would require billions of dollars and cause significant delays, according to a former senior official.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the proposed "Trump-class" warships, announced last year as part of the Navy’s "Golden Fleet" modernisation plan, would cost $2.75 trillion over 30 years. The cost per ship is projected at $180 billion. The Navy has not yet determined whether the redesign will proceed, and the timing and scope of the evaluation remain unclear.
What the coverage left out
None of the left-rated digests mentioned the Congressional Budget Office’s $2.75 trillion cost estimate for the "Trump-class" warships. The centre-rated digest from Political Wire did not include any details on the potential cost or delays of the redesign. The right-rated report from Yonhap News Agency was the only one to include the CBO’s estimate.
The Washington Post’s full report, which was the basis for most of the digests, included details on the efficiency and safety benefits of the current rear placement of the island. None of the digests from left-rated outlets carried this information.
Coverage settled. We checked this 58 times and stopped on 21 Aug 2026, 11:30. The figures above are what it finished at.
How each side covered it
Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.
Left
12 rated outlets
- The four left-rated reports led on the cost and delays associated with the proposed redesign. Joe.My.God. and the Washington Post both quoted current and former officials warning that moving the island could cost "billions of dollars" and "significantly delay the program." The Independent’s digest noted that naval experts had warned of "severe schedule delays." Mediaite’s digest described the redesign as "costly."
- Joe.My.God. and the Washington Post both framed the redesign as driven by Trump’s personal aesthetic preferences. Joe.My.God. used the phrase "Trump’s preferred aesthetic for the warships" and quoted officials saying the review was in response to Trump’s concerns about the "look" of the Ford-class ships. The Washington Post’s digest stated that Trump "wants the new fleet of aircraft carriers to more resemble those from World War II."
- Joe.My.God. included a direct quote from a former senior official, who said a study during Trump’s first term found that moving the island "could cost billions of dollars in redesign costs and significantly delay the program." The outlet also noted that Trump had ordered the Navy to return to steam-powered catapults, which would "also cost billions."
Centre
10 rated outlets
- The six centre-rated digests agree that the U.S. Navy is considering redesigning Ford-class aircraft carriers to resemble World War II-era ships at President Donald Trump’s request. All note the proposal involves moving the command tower toward the middle of the vessel.
- Three of the digests, PHL17, WGN 9, and WCBD, report that the changes would cost billions of dollars and worsen existing delays. The Hill and Political Wire attribute the review to a Washington Post report, while the Mason City Globe Gazette does not mention the redesign but reports Trump’s order to revert to steam catapults.
- None of the digests quote Navy officials or independent analysts. The Hill and Political Wire specify the redesign targets the command tower’s position, while the others do not detail the proposed modifications beyond aesthetic alignment with older vessels.
Right
5 rated outlets
- The right-rated report from Yonhap News Agency led on Trump’s influence over the redesign, framing it as a response to his "retro taste." The headline described the proposed changes as due to Trump’s "'Retro Taste'." The report quoted a former senior official who said the Navy had studied the redesign during Trump’s first term and concluded that it would require "unimaginable" time and cost.
- Yonhap News Agency included the Congressional Budget Office’s estimate that the proposed "Trump-class" warships would cost $2.75 trillion over 30 years, or $180 billion per ship. The report also noted that Trump had previously directed the Navy to replace the electromagnetic catapults with steam-powered versions, which officials warned could cause "serious cost overruns and construction delays."
- The report quoted a former U.S. Navy officer from the Hudson Institute, who said moving the island would affect the ship’s buoyancy and weight, requiring "substantial costs" and causing "very large disruptions."
Questions about this coverage
- How did the left and right cover U.S. Navy considers redesigning Ford-class carriers to match Trump’s…?
- Of the 27 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 44% are rated left, 37% are rated centre, 19% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 38. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
- Is U.S. Navy considers redesigning Ford-class carriers to match Trump’s… left or right?
- Neither side dominates it. Of the 27 rated outlets on this story, 44% are rated left, 37% are rated centre, 19% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
- Is the coverage of U.S. Navy considers redesigning Ford-class carriers to match Trump’s… biased?
- U.S. Navy considers redesigning Ford-class carriers to match Trump’s preference for WWII-era look is one event reported by 38 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
- Which side is not reporting U.S. Navy considers redesigning Ford-class carriers to match Trump’s…?
- When we first saw this story, outlets rated right had barely covered it. Coverage accretes for hours after an event, so that is where to look rather than a verdict — the split above is the current count, and it is the one to read.
- Which outlets covered U.S. Navy considers redesigning Ford-class carriers to match Trump’s…?
- 38 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
- What is the U.S. Navy considering changing on its new aircraft carriers?
- The U.S. Navy is evaluating whether to move the command tower, or island, on its Ford-class aircraft carriers from the rear of the ship toward the middle. The change would make the carriers resemble those used during World War II, following requests from President Donald Trump.
- How much could the proposed redesign cost?
- Previous studies during Trump’s first term found that moving the island could cost billions of dollars. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the proposed "Trump-class" warships could cost $2.75 trillion over 30 years, or $180 billion per ship.
- Why does Trump want the carriers redesigned?
- President Donald Trump has expressed a preference for the aesthetic of World War II-era carriers, according to current and former U.S. officials. The Navy’s review of the redesign is in response to Trump’s concerns about the "look" of the new Ford-class ships.
- What are the potential consequences of the redesign?
- Officials warn that moving the island could cause significant delays to the carrier programme and require billions of dollars in redesign costs. The change could also affect the ship’s buoyancy and weight, leading to further disruptions, according to a former U.S. Navy officer.
Read it at the source
38 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
12- Why is Trump ordering crazy changes to the design of aircraft carriers? (opens Daily Kos in a new tab)
Daily Kos — is Daily Kos biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Navy officials secretly plan to ignore Trump’s warship demands (opens Alternet in a new tab)
- Trump’s Tacky Aesthetic Comes for the U.S. Navy (opens The New Republic in a new tab)
The New Republic — is The New Republic biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Navy weighs major warship redesign to match Trump’s preferences (opens The spokesman-Review in a new tab)
The spokesman-Review — is The spokesman-Review biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump Reportedly Requested the U.S. Navy to Adjust the Design of the Ford-Class Aircraft Carriers, Moving the Island Superstructure to the Middle of the Hull. (opens rthk.hk in a new tab)
- Trump To Order Redesign of Aircraft Carriers Because They Don’t Look Right (opens Talking Points Memo in a new tab)
Talking Points Memo — is Talking Points Memo biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Rage erupts as Trump's 'foolish whims' hit Navy with another 'extraordinary' cost (opens Raw Story in a new tab)
Raw Story — is Raw Story biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Navy weighs redesign of its main warships to meet Trump’s preferred WWII look: report (opens The Independent in a new tab)
The Independent — is The Independent biased? Our profile of this outlet
Show 4 more
- Trump Orders Navy To Ditch Modern Jet Launch Technology On Future Aircraft Carrier (opens foreignpolicyjournal.com in a new tab)
foreignpolicyjournal.com — is foreignpolicyjournal.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump Prefers a World War II Look for U.S. Navy — Which Is Considering an Expensive Ship Redesign: Report (opens Mediaite in a new tab)
- Trump Pushes Navy To Redesign New Aircraft Carriers (opens Joe.My.God. in a new tab)
Joe.My.God. — is Joe.My.God. biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Navy weighs major warship redesign to match Trump’s preferences (opens The Washington Post in a new tab)
The Washington Post — is The Washington Post biased? Our profile of this outlet
Centre
10- Donald Trump's New Lube for Aircraft Carriers, Which Should Cost the American Taxpayer a Fortune (opens La Libre in a new tab)
La Libre — is La Libre biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- "He Knows Nothing About These Things: Senator Calculates Trump's Aircraft Carrier Plans (opens mannheim24.de in a new tab)
mannheim24.de — is mannheim24.de biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- "He Knows Nothing About These Things: Senator Calculates Trump's Aircraft Carrier Plans (opens tz.de in a new tab)
- Navy looking into warship redesigns as part of Trump requests (opens NewsNation in a new tab)
NewsNation — is NewsNation biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Navy looking into warship redesigns as part of Trump requests (opens WCBD in a new tab)
- Navy looking into warship redesigns as part of Trump requests (opens PHL17 in a new tab)
- Navy looking into warship redesigns as part of Trump requests (opens WGN 9 in a new tab)
- Navy looking into warship redesigns as part of Trump requests (opens The Hill in a new tab)
Show 2 more
- Trump orders Navy to return to steam catapults on carriers (opens Mason City Globe Gazette in a new tab)
Mason City Globe Gazette — is Mason City Globe Gazette biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Navy May Redesign Carriers to Match Trump’s Taste (opens Political Wire in a new tab)
Political Wire — is Political Wire biased? Our profile of this outlet
Right
5- Trump's Ship Redesign Could Cost Billions of Dollars (opens Dagens Nyheter in a new tab)
Dagens Nyheter — is Dagens Nyheter biased? Our profile of this outlet
- "This Is Very Disturbing": Wild Trump Wish Could Cause a Cost Explosion on Aircraft Carriers (opens n-tv in a new tab)
- Navy weighs major redesign of aircraft carriers to match Trump's preferences (opens i24NEWS in a new tab)
- U.S. Shipbuilding, Already Slow, Considers Redesigning Aircraft Carriers to Match Trump's 'Retro Taste' (opens 조선일보 in a new tab)
조선일보
- U.S. Navy Considers Changing New Aircraft Carrier Design Due to Trump's 'Retro Taste' (opens 연합뉴스-Yonhap News Agency in a new tab)
연합뉴스-Yonhap News Agency — is 연합뉴스-Yonhap News Agency biased? Our profile of this outlet
Not rated
11- The US Navy Is Considering Redesigning Its Aircraft Carrier to Suit President Trump's Preferences. (opens Thanh Niên in a new tab)
Thanh Niên — is Thanh Niên biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump Steam Catapult Order Forces Billions In Carrier Redesign (opens Universe News Network in a new tab)
Universe News Network — is Universe News Network biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Billion-Dollar Aircraft Carriers Could Be Retooled because of Trump's Tastes: What WP Learned (opens ТСН.ua in a new tab)
- Trump's Troubles with New Aircraft Carriers. He Doesn't Like Them, He Demands Their Redesign for Aesthetics (opens Deník N in a new tab)
- Trump Doesn't Like the Look of the New Aircraft Carriers. He Wants Billions Worth of Changes. (opens newsweek.pl in a new tab)
newsweek.pl — is newsweek.pl biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump's Demand: Aircraft Carriers Should Look Like Before (opens Dagens industri in a new tab)
Dagens industri — is Dagens industri biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Navy weighs redesign of Ford-class carriers to suit Trump preference, report says (opens Tippahnews.com in a new tab)
Tippahnews.com — is Tippahnews.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump: US Aircraft Carriers Are Returning to the Steam Age (opens Iltalehti in a new tab)
Show 3 more
- U.S. Navy Studies Millionaire Changes to New Aircraft Carriers to Meet Donald Trump's Aesthetic Preferences (opens IOL Portugal in a new tab)
IOL Portugal — is IOL Portugal biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Upgrading the U.S. Fleet to Retro-Flavour Trump Could Cost Billions of Dollars. (opens RTVI in a new tab)
- Trump Prefers Ships to Look More Like World War II, the Navy Considers Redesigning Them to the Liking of the President (opens meneame.net in a new tab)
meneame.net — is meneame.net biased? Our profile of this outlet
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