Defense Now

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump participated in the annual Christmas Eve tradition of answering NORAD "Tracks Santa" calls from their Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, on Wednesday, December 24, 2025. Marking the 70th anniversary of the NORAD tracking program (1955–2025), the President fielded calls from children across the country, blending holiday wishes with his signature humor and commentary on current events.

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Defense Now

U.S. Marines and Navy Sailors conducted flight operations in the Philippine Sea aboard the forward-deployed amphibious assault carrier USS Tripoli (LHA 7).

Key details of these operations include:
Participating Units: The operations involved Marines from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 265 (Reinforced) and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU).

Aircraft and Mission: The training utilized MV-22B Ospreys to expand mission capabilities and maintain force projection readiness.

Operational Context: USS Tripoli currently serves as the flagship for the Tripoli Expeditionary Strike Group, which is conducting routine operations within the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to promote regional stability in the Indo-Pacific.

Strategic Shift: This period marks the 31st MEU's transition to long-term operations with the Tripoli after six years of operating from the USS America (LHA 6).

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Defense Now

The Heartwarming Event of Kadin Brewer’s Make-A-Wish experience at Fort Bliss. Feature Story: The Youngest Tank Commander at Fort Bliss
FORT BLISS, TEXAS — The heat of the Texas desert is usually grueling, but for 13-year-old Kadin Brewer, it felt like victory. Standing tall in a custom-fitted Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) uniform, Kadin wasn't just a visitor; for the day, he was the newest Tank Commander of the 1st Armored Division.

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Defense Now

The Announcement: The "Golden Fleet" and "Trump-Class" Battleships President Donald Trump, flanked by his top defense officials, announced a major shift in U.S. naval strategy centered on the creation of a new "Golden Fleet." The centerpiece of this initiative is the construction of a new line of massive surface combatants designated as the "Trump-class" battleship.

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Defense Now

Trump Announces New Class of Battleship
Dec. 22, 2025 | By Matthew Olay
President Donald J. Trump today announced the Navy's intent to develop a new class of American-designed, 30,000 to 40,000-ton large surface combatants, or battleships, that will be employed to meet the realities of modern maritime conflict.

"As commander in chief, it's my great honor to announce that I have approved a plan for the Navy to begin the construction of two brand-new, very large — largest we've ever built — battleships," Trump announced from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida. He was joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Navy Secretary John Phelan.

The new Trump-class of ships — which the president said will contribute to a new "golden fleet" of advanced warships — are currently in the design phase, with construction of the first battleship, the USS Defiant, targeted for the early 2030s.

Phelan said that the new class of battleship is something the Navy "desperately needs." The president noted that the Navy aims to have a fleet of 20 to 25 ships eventually.

"The future Trump-class battleship, the USS Defiant, will be the largest, deadliest and most versatile and best-looking warship anywhere on the world's oceans," Phelan said, adding that he wanted to thank the president for his vision to make the future battleship a game-changing capability for the U.S. Navy.

Phelan also compared the future Trump-class battleships to the former Iowa-class battleships, which were a cornerstone of the Navy's warship fleet for much of the 21st century.

"The Iowa was designed to go on the attack with the biggest guns, and that's exactly what will define the Trump-class battleships: offensive firepower from the biggest guns of our era," Phelan said.

"This ship isn't just to swat the arrows; it is going to reach out and kill the archers," he added.

During his remarks, Hegseth said that strengthening the Navy's fleet ties directly to the War Department's key goals of restoring the warrior ethos, rebuilding the military and reestablishing deterrence.

"American strength is back on the world stage, and the announcement of the golden fleet anchored by new battleships — the biggest and most lethal ever — accomplishes all three of those things and marks a generational commitment to American sea power across the entire department," Hegseth said.

During the announcement, Trump made clear that the new battleships are intended to be constructed entirely in the U.S. by American citizens.

"The construction will create thousands of American jobs. We're going to have the jobs be created," he said.

Along with standard guns and missiles, Trump said the new battleships will be equipped with hypersonic weapons, electronic rail guns and high-powered laser-based weaponry.

He added that the Navy will take the lead in the ships' design, while partnering with the U.S. defense industrial base.

"We're going to make battle groups great again, and this is just one piece of the president's golden fleet that we're going to build with the investments," Phelan said.

The new Trump-class battleships will replace the Navy's previous plans to develop a new class of destroyer, the DDG(X). However, the sea service intends to incorporate the capabilities it had planned to employ on that platform into the new Trump-class ships.

The last time the Navy used battleships in combat was in 1991 during the first Gulf War, when the now-decommissioned Iowa-class battleships USS Missouri and USS Wisconsin provided naval gunfire support against Iraqi targets along the coast of Kuwait.

Today's announcement of the Trump-class battleships comes on the heels of the Navy's Dec. 19 announcement of the FF(X), a new class of frigates intended to replace the Navy's recently cancelled Constellation-class frigate program.

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Defense Now

December 22, 2025, at Mar-a-Lago, here is a summary of the event involving President Trump, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of the Navy John Phelan. The Announcement: The "Golden Fleet" and "Trump-Class" Battleships President Donald Trump, flanked by his top defense officials, announced a major shift in U.S. naval strategy centered on the creation of a new "Golden Fleet." The centerpiece of this initiative is the construction of a new line of massive surface combatants designated as the "Trump-class" battleship.

2 days ago | [YT] | 89

Defense Now

Vice President JD Vance delivered the closing keynote address at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona, on Sunday, December 21, 2025. His appearance served as the capstone to a four-day event heavily focused on the future of the "Make America Great Again" movement and the Republican Party’s direction post-Trump.

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Defense Now

On Friday, December 19, 2025, President Donald Trump delivered a major address on the economy from Rocky Mount, North Carolina. The speech was part of a broader tour to promote his administration's economic agenda ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Key Economic Announcements & Claims
"Warrior Dividend": Trump announced a special Christmas payment of $1,776 to 1.45 million military service members, funded through revenue generated by tariffs and recent tax legislation.
Prescription Drug Costs: He claimed to have negotiated deals with nine pharmaceutical companies to reduce drug prices by as much as 400% to 600% using "most-favored-nation" pricing strategies and tariff threats.
Tax Relief: The President promoted "One Big, Beautiful Bill," a legislative package he signed in July that includes no tax on tips, overtime, or Social Security for seniors.
Energy and Housing: Trump declared a national energy emergency and claimed gasoline prices have fallen below $2.50 per gallon (and as low as $1.99 in some states). He also promised "aggressive housing reform plans" for early 2026.
Federal Workforce: Earlier in the day, he acknowledged that his reduction of the federal workforce by hundreds of thousands of people had temporarily impacted unemployment figures but argued these jobs would be replaced by private-sector growth.
Event Context
Location: Rocky Mount Event Center, Rocky Mount, NC.
Purpose: To counter polls showing declining voter confidence in the state of the economy and to support GOP candidates like Michael Whatley.
Other Actions: On the same day, Trump signed an executive order to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III drug, moving it from its previous Schedule I status.

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Defense Now

President Donald Trump delivered remarks today at the Rocky Mount Event Center in North Carolina, focusing heavily on his administration's economic performance and new policy initiatives. This visit follows a primetime address earlier this week and comes as the White House seeks to bolster public confidence amid fluctuating approval ratings regarding the cost of living. December 19, 2025 Location: Rocky Mount Event Center, North Carolina Topic: Remarks on the Economy

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Defense Now

On Friday, December 19, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to reschedule marijuana and announced the creation of the "Patriot Games" as part of the nation's 250th anniversary celebrations.

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