Trump announces start of construction of US Navy shipyard in Baltimore
In short
US President Donald Trump announced the start of construction of a new shipyard for the US Navy in Baltimore, describing it as the largest new shipyard in the United States since World War II. TASS reported the complex will be built in Maryland. Earlier, RIA Novosti reported, citing media, that Trump wanted to invest in a new shipyard for US Navy submarines.
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US President Donald Trump announced the start of construction of the largest new shipyard for the US Navy since World War II. RIA Novosti and Vedomosti reported that the facility is to be built in Baltimore, while TASS said the complex will be built in the state of Maryland. TASS framed the project as the largest shipyard of its kind in the United States since the Second World War. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Vedomosti reported that Trump’s remarks were broadcast on the White House YouTube channel. In the remarks quoted by Vedomosti, Trump said: “Мы официально запускаем строительство самой большой новой верфи в США со времен Второй мировой войны,” and added that “ничего подобного никогда не было.” According to Vedomosti, Trump also said the United States had once been able to build up to four ships a day, whereas in recent years building a single vessel took from seven to 17 years. [ 4 ]
Earlier the same day, RIA Novosti reported, citing media, that Trump wanted to invest in a new shipyard for US Navy submarines. The documents do not state whether that reported submarine shipyard is the same project as the Baltimore facility announced later. [ 1 ]
Why it matters
The announcement concerns US naval shipbuilding capacity, a subject Russian state outlets covered promptly, and Trump’s remarks tie it to long-standing concerns about how long it takes the United States to build a single vessel. The documents give no cost, schedule or capacity figures, so the scale of the project cannot be assessed from them.
Key facts
- Donald Trump announced the start of construction of the largest new shipyard for the US Navy since World War II. [ 3 , 4 ]
- The shipyard is to be built in Baltimore, according to RIA Novosti and Vedomosti. [ 2 , 4 ]
- TASS reported the complex will be built in the state of Maryland. [ 3 ]
- Vedomosti reported that Trump’s remarks were broadcast on the White House YouTube channel. [ 4 ]
- Trump said the US had previously been able to build up to four ships a day, while in recent years building one vessel took from seven to 17 years. [ 4 ]
- Earlier, RIA Novosti reported, citing media, that Trump wanted to invest in a new shipyard for US Navy submarines. [ 1 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether the shipyard Trump announced in Baltimore is the same facility as the submarine shipyard he was earlier reported to want to invest in. Document 1, citing media, referred to a shipyard for US Navy submarines, while documents 2, 3 and 4 describe an announced shipyard for the US Navy in Baltimore and Maryland without linking the two.
- Cost, construction schedule, capacity and the number of vessels the shipyard would build. None of the documents give figures for the project beyond the statements about past and recent build times.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- RIA Novosti reports, citing media, that Trump wants to invest in a new shipyard for US Navy submarines. [ 1 ]
- RIA Novosti reports that Trump announced the start of construction of a shipyard for the US Navy in Baltimore. [ 2 ]
- TASS reports Trump announced the creation of the largest shipyard since World War II, to be built in Maryland. [ 3 ]
- Vedomosti publishes the announcement with quotes from the White House YouTube broadcast. [ 4 ]