{
  "id": 1815927,
  "title": "Trump’s Current Naval Fixation",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/trumps-current-naval-fixation",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-18T21:54:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Atlantic",
    "slug": "the-atlantic",
    "url": "https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/2026/08/trump-wants-steam-power-navy/688323/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Donald Trump's obsession with steam power has led him to order the USS Doris Miller to be equipped with steam catapults instead of the more modern electromagnetic launch system. This shift could increase costs and delay the ship's completion, which is already set for the mid-2030s. Trump has been advocating for steam catapults since 2017, despite the Gerald Ford, the only carrier not using them, being already built. Critics argue that steam propulsion is less efficient and more costly in the long run, as electromagnetic propulsion requires fewer repairs. The president's focus on aesthetics over strategy has also resulted in plans for a new class of battleships, dubbed the \"Trump class,\" which could cost taxpayers around $275 billion.",
  "summary": "Why is the president obsessed with steam power?",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}