Trump orders Pentagon to redesign US aircraft carrier to use steam catapults to launch jets | Donald Trump
US politics | The Guardian — 2026-08-13 21:03:00 — www.theguardian.com
Trump Orders Navy to Scrap Modern Tech for Steam Catapults, Repeats False Claims About Costs and Effectiveness
Donald Trump has directed the Pentagon to abandon the advanced electromagnetic aircraft launch systems on the next Ford-class aircraft carrier and revert to steam-powered catapults, a move he has pushed for since 2017. Trump signed a national security memorandum instructing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao to develop a plan within 60 days to replace the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Weapons Elevators with steam and hydraulic systems for the USS Doris Miller, a ship already two years behind schedule.
Trump’s Longstanding Campaign Against EMALS
Trump has repeatedly disparaged the Navy’s adoption of electromagnetic catapults, calling the technology “very complicated” and claiming, “you have to be Albert Einstein to figure it out.” He has told a story—often with variations—since 2017, in which he claims an unnamed Navy officer told him steam catapults are better because “we can fix it with a hammer and a blowtorch. When the electric goes bad, I have to send to MIT to get geniuses over here.” Trump has insisted, “the digital costs hundreds of millions of dollars more money and it’s no good.”
Fact-Checking Trump’s Claims
Trump’s assertions about the cost and reliability of EMALS have been widely disputed. The Wall Street Journal reported that Navy and industry leaders have resisted Trump’s push due to the enormous expense and logistical challenges of removing a system integral to the carrier’s design. General Atomics, the company behind EMALS, stated that the system for the new ship is nearly 50% complete and warned that changing course now would introduce “significant cost, schedule, and integration risks.”
Despite Trump’s repeated claims that steam catapults are cheaper and more reliable, experts and Navy officials have pointed out that EMALS was adopted to improve efficiency, reduce maintenance, and support the launch of a wider range of aircraft. Trump’s story about Navy officers preferring steam is anecdotal and has not been substantiated by official Navy assessments.
Political and Military Pushback
Senator Mark Kelly, a former astronaut and Navy test pilot, criticized Trump’s intervention, stating, “I’ve launched off the front of aircraft carriers hundreds of times, have a Master’s degree in aeronautical engineering, and am a test pilot and even I wouldn’t suggest to the Navy how to engineer specific systems on its ships.” Kelly bluntly added, “Donald Trump should stick to what he knows best – ballrooms, bankruptcy, and bullshit.”
Conclusion
Trump’s order to redesign the USS Doris Miller to use steam catapults instead of modern electromagnetic systems is the culmination of years of public complaints and repeated, unsubstantiated claims about the technology’s cost and effectiveness. The move faces strong resistance from military leaders and industry experts, who warn that it could result in significant delays and added expenses. Trump’s insistence on outdated technology, based on anecdotal stories and disputed assertions, highlights ongoing concerns about his approach to complex defense issues.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/13/trump-aircraft-carriers-steam-catapults