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By Jordan King
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President Donald Trump said he would introduce an executive order to bring back steam power to the Navy.
He made the comments on Monday during a speech to soldiers on the USS George Washington, a U.S. Navy Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier deployed to the Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan.
“I’m putting out an order. I’m going to sign an executive order. When we build aircraft carriers, it’s steam for the catapults, and it’s hydraulic for the elevators,” the president said.
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When contacted for further comment, the White House told Newsweek it had “nothing to add.”
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Why It Matters
Trump’s repeated criticism of the Navy’s move to electromagnetic systems for aircraft carrier operations and his latest promise to sign an executive order bringing back steam-powered catapults and hydraulic elevators come amid an ongoing national conversation about cost, reliability and technological changes in the U.S. defense sector.
The direction of U.S. Navy carrier capabilities could affect billions in procurement spending and the long-term operational effectiveness of the fleet.
What To Know
During an address to Navy personnel stationed in Japan, Trump expanded on his long-standing grievances with the Navy’s adoption of the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) for its latest Gerald R. Ford-class carriers.
The president reiterated his view that traditional steam power was superior to newer electric systems, referencing cost overruns and operational challenges with electromagnetic catapults.
During the speech, Trump asked the crowd, “Which is better, electric or steam?” He paused for a response after saying “electric,” and the audience remained silent. However, multiple people erupted into cheers when he said “steam.”
“I’m going to put in an order,” he said. “Seriously.”
“The problem [with electric] is when it breaks, you have to send up to MIT to get the most brilliant people in the world. Fly them out—it’s ridiculous,” Trump said.
“The steam—they said they can fix it with a hammer and blowtorch, and it works just as well, if not better, and I love the sight of that beautiful steam pouring off that deck. With the electric, you don’t have that,” he said.
“I like steam,” the president added. “We’re going to go back to steam. They changed this just for the sake of changing.”
Trump also asked the crowd about “hydraulic for your elevators or magnets?”
“You know the new thing is magnets,” he said. “So instead of using hydraulic, you can be hit by lightning and it’s fine.”
Trump has long expressed skepticism of EMALS. In a 2017 interview with Time magazine, he criticized the system as needlessly complex and expensive, saying, “The digital costs hundreds of millions of dollars more money and it’s no good.”
The Navy has defended its modernization efforts, noting that EMALS offers benefits for aircraft longevity and operational efficiency once early problems are addressed.
What People Are Saying
Rear Admiral Patrick J. Hannifin defended EMALS to Trump in 2018, saying: “The electromagnetic catapults they’re running there [on the Ford] offer some great benefits. Obviously, any new piece, you’ve got to work through the bugs, but they offer some benefits, not only to stress and strain on the aircraft to extend service life.”
President Donald Trump said at an Iowa rally in January 2024: “Think of it, magnets. Now all I know about magnets is this, give me a glass of water, let me drop it on the magnets, that’s the end of the magnets. Why didn’t they use John Deere? Why didn’t they bring in the John Deere people? Do you like John Deere? I like John Deere.”
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen whether the president will issue an executive order to mandate a reversion to steam-powered systems on U.S. Navy carriers. Changing aircraft carrier designs would require extensive—and expensive—modifications, with defense analysts noting that production lines for steam catapults are long out of operation and such a move could cost billions in redevelopment and ship redesign.
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