Donald Trump announces plan for two new 'Trump Class' battleships for Navy

The president addressed the media in Florida to announce the creation of a new "Trump Class" of battleships to be the "flagships of the American naval fleet" and with "guns and missiles"

Donald Trump has approved a plan for the US Navy to begin construction on two new battleships.

The president addressed the media in West Palm Beach, Florida joined by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of the Navy John Phelan and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

He says: "There's never been anything like these ships. These have been under design consideration for a long time.

"They'll be the fastest, the biggest by far and 100 times more powerful than any battleship ever built.

"The largest battleship in the history of the world."

Addressing the media alongside mock-up pictures of the new battleships, Trump says they will be the "flagships of the American naval fleet" and feature "guns and missiles" as well as being armed with hypersonic weapons and "high-powered lasers".

"We have lasers where you aim the laser at a target and it wipes it out. The most sophisticated lasers in the world," Trump said.

The US president has said the construction of the new "Trump Class" of battleships will be made of steel and weigh in at 30-40,000 tonnes. Manufacture will begin with two vessels, but eventually expand to a fleet of 20-25, he told reporters at the press conference.

A senior White House official earlier confirmed the fleet would be known as "Trump Class" battleships, according to US news network, NBC.