--- title: "U.S. Navy considers redesigning Ford-class carriers to match Trump’s preference for WWII-era look" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/us-navy-considers-redesigning-ford-class-carriers-to-match-trumps-preference-for" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/us-navy-considers-redesigning-ford-class-carriers-to-match-trumps-preference-for" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/us-navy-considers-redesigning-ford-class-carriers-to-match-trumps-preference-for.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/us-navy-considers-redesigning-ford-class-carriers-to-match-trumps-preference-for" category: "Politics" area: "United States" published: "2026-08-15T17:46:04.292Z" source_reported: "2026-08-15T17:04:38.000Z" updated: "2026-08-15T17:46:04.292Z" trust_score: 78 critic_score: 95 hype_score: 18 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-08-15T20:00:22.429747+00:00" --- # 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* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 78 of 100, higher is better. Trust 78 due to named sources, CBO data, multiple outlets, specific figures, and clear dates. - Craft 95 of 100, higher is better. Critic 95 for clear why it matters, quoted officials, specific data, and coherent narrative. - Hype 18 of 100, lower is better. Hype 18; language is factual with minimal sensationalism. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - 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. 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. ## Who covered it Shares of the 7 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 71% (5) - Centre: 15% (1) - Right: 14% (1) 3 of 10 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-08-15T20:00:22.429747+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 10 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-08-15T20:15:09.785Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - 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 - The centre-rated digest from Political Wire led on the Navy’s consideration of the redesign to match Trump’s preferences. It quoted the Washington Post’s description of the proposed change as a "major redesign" and noted that the review was in response to Trump’s taste. The digest did not mention the cost or potential delays. ### Right - 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." **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 1 - high: 5 - unknown: 4 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Raw Story](https://rawstory.com/trump-navy-2677711866) — Rage erupts as Trump's 'foolish whims' hit Navy with another 'extraordinary' cost - [IOL Portugal](https://cnnportugal.iol.pt/donald-trump/porta-avioes/marinha-americana-estuda-alteracoes-milionarias-a-novos-porta-avioes-para-satisfazer-preferencias-esteticas-de-donald-trump/20260815/6a809e1ed34e511da0b3381d) — U.S. Navy Studies Millionaire Changes to New Aircraft Carriers to Meet Donald Trump's Aesthetic Preferences - [The Independent](https://independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-navy-warship-redesign-wwii-b3033634.html) — Navy weighs redesign of its main warships to meet Trump’s preferred WWII look: report - [RTVI](https://rtvi.com/news/modernizacziya-flota-ssha-pod-retro-vkus-trampa-mozhet-obojtis-v-milliardy-dollarov) — Upgrading the U.S. Fleet to Retro-Flavour Trump Could Cost Billions of Dollars. - [연합뉴스-Yonhap News Agency](https://yna.co.kr/view/AKR20260816000200071) — U.S. Navy Considers Changing New Aircraft Carrier Design Due to Trump's 'Retro Taste' - [meneame.net](https://meneame.net/m/Idiocracia/trump-prefiere-navios-tenga-aspecto-mas-similar-ii-guerra-armada) — Trump Prefers Ships to Look More Like World War II, the Navy Considers Redesigning Them to the Liking of the President - [Mediaite](https://mediaite.com/media/news/trump-prefers-a-world-war-ii-look-for-u-s-navy-which-is-considering-an-expensive-ship-redesign-report) — Trump Prefers a World War II Look for U.S. Navy — Which Is Considering an Expensive Ship Redesign: Report - [Joe.My.God.](https://joemygod.com/2026/08/trump-pushes-navy-to-redesign-new-aircraft-carriers) — Trump Pushes Navy To Redesign New Aircraft Carriers - [The Washington Post](https://washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/08/15/navy-weighs-major-warship-redesign-match-trumps-preferences) — Navy weighs major warship redesign to match Trump’s preferences - [Political Wire](https://politicalwire.com/2026/08/15/navy-may-redesign-carriers-to-match-trumps-taste) — Navy May Redesign Carriers to Match Trump’s Taste ## Questions **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. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/us-navy-considers-redesigning-ford-class-carriers-to-match-trumps-preference-for. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "U.S. Navy considers redesigning Ford-class carriers to match Trump’s preference for WWII-era look", https://mediabias.news/politics/us-navy-considers-redesigning-ford-class-carriers-to-match-trumps-preference-for