Trump signs memo permitting foreign shipbuilders to build up to 2 U.S. ships in their shipyards

U.S. President Donald Trump signed a national security memorandum on Thursday, allowing foreign shipbuilders to construct up to two vessels in their respective shipyards for delivery to the United States. This move aims to bolster the American Navy and shipbuilding industrial sector.

The memorandum follows increased shipbuilding collaborations between the U.S. and South Korea. South Korea has pledged $150 billion in investments to the U.S. shipbuilding industry, as part of a broader $350 billion commitment under a bilateral trade and investment agreement signed last year.

Foreign shipbuilders investing significantly in American shipyards and creating jobs for an all-American workforce will be granted temporary authorization to build up to two ships in their parent shipyards. These ships will be delivered to address urgent needs, while further vessels will be manufactured in revitalized American shipyards, according to the White House.