Washington, D.C. – After announcing a massive Navy build-up, President Trump submitted a budget that would actually shrink the size of the fleet, providing 292 deployable ships in 2018 instead of President Obama’s plan for 295. This included production of 1 Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) in FY 2018.

Then, yesterday afternoon, President Trump reversed course on the number of LCS requested. In a public hearing and a briefing with reporters, Navy officials were directed by the administration to announce that the budget now ‘supports’ the production of 2 LCS. As of now, they do not know how they will pay for the second ship.

House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA) made the following statement about this situation:

“Whatever caused this reversal, it is obvious that President Trump is not making these decisions based on strategic considerations. It shows a disturbing carelessness about national security and taxpayer money that he would casually fudge a request for a $634 million ship.”

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