President Trump’s right: If our Navy doesn’t get more ships, we’ll never beat China in a war

New York Post - Mar 21st, 2025
Open on New York Post

China has emerged as the global leader in shipbuilding, with its China State Shipbuilding Corp leading the charge, surpassing the US in commercial vessel construction. This dominance threatens US national security, as rapid shipbuilding capabilities are crucial in wartime scenarios. The US, once a shipbuilding powerhouse, now holds a mere 0.11% of the market. President Donald Trump is reportedly preparing an executive order to address this shortfall, highlighting the urgency of revitalizing the US shipbuilding industry.

The decline in US shipbuilding capabilities is attributed to various factors, including workforce shortages, supply chain disruptions, and unreliable congressional funding. Experts suggest a significant increase in the Navy budget and collaboration with allies like South Korea and Japan. The situation is viewed as a national-security crisis, with historical references to past US naval successes underscoring the importance of shipbuilding strength. The potential executive order aims to communicate the urgency of the issue, reflecting the belief that national power is at stake.

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RATING

5.8
Moderately Fair
Read with skepticism

The article provides a timely and engaging discussion on the strategic importance of shipbuilding in national defense, focusing on the challenges faced by the U.S. compared to China's advancements. It effectively highlights the urgency of addressing these issues, drawing on historical examples and potential policy responses. However, the article's impact is somewhat limited by its lack of diverse perspectives and detailed sourcing, which could enhance its credibility and depth.

While the article is generally clear and readable, additional context and clarification in certain areas would improve reader comprehension. The focus on controversial topics such as defense spending and international power dynamics is likely to provoke debate, but a more balanced representation of viewpoints would provide a more comprehensive understanding of the issues.

Overall, the article successfully addresses a topic of significant public interest, with the potential to influence discussions on national security and defense policy. Enhancing its sourcing and perspective diversity would further strengthen its impact and engagement with readers.

RATING DETAILS

7
Accuracy

The article presents several factual claims, some of which are verifiable with existing data, while others require further investigation. For instance, the claim that China is the world's premier shipbuilder is supported by credible reports, such as those from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, which indicate China's significant shipbuilding capacity. Additionally, the article states that China's shipbuilding output surpasses that of the U.S. since World War II, a claim that aligns with historical industry trends.

However, the article's assertion that the U.S. commercial shipbuilding market share was only 0.11 percent in 2024 needs verification through specific industry reports or data. The historical references to U.S. capabilities during World War II, such as the rapid repair of the USS Yorktown, are generally accurate but would benefit from citations for precise verification.

The article also discusses current challenges in U.S. shipbuilding, such as delayed vessel deliveries and labor shortages, which are consistent with known issues in the industry. However, the claim regarding President Trump's executive order on shipbuilding requires confirmation from official government sources. Overall, while the article is mostly accurate, some claims need more robust sourcing or verification.

6
Balance

The article predominantly focuses on the challenges and shortcomings of U.S. shipbuilding, presenting a perspective that is critical of current policies and practices. It highlights the strategic disadvantages faced by the U.S. compared to China's advancements in shipbuilding, which could be seen as an imbalanced representation if not countered by other viewpoints.

There is an emphasis on the urgency of addressing these issues, with references to historical successes and potential future threats. However, the article does not sufficiently explore alternative perspectives, such as potential strengths of the U.S. shipbuilding industry or differing opinions on the necessity of increased military spending.

The coverage could be more balanced by including insights from industry experts or policymakers who might offer different views on the state of U.S. shipbuilding and its strategic implications. As it stands, the article leans towards a critical stance without fully exploring the broader context or counterarguments.

7
Clarity

The article is generally clear and well-structured, with a logical flow from discussing historical perspectives to current challenges and proposed solutions. The language is accessible, making complex topics like shipbuilding and strategic military considerations understandable to a general audience.

However, some sections could benefit from additional clarification, particularly where specific data or historical references are mentioned without detailed context. For instance, the discussion of U.S. shipbuilding capabilities during World War II could be expanded with more background information to enhance reader comprehension.

Overall, the article effectively communicates its main points, but additional context and clarification in certain areas would improve its clarity and help readers better grasp the nuances of the issues discussed.

5
Source quality

The article references several authoritative sources, such as the Center for Strategic and International Studies, which enhances its credibility regarding China's shipbuilding capabilities. However, it lacks direct citations or quotations from primary sources or experts, which would strengthen its claims about U.S. shipbuilding challenges and proposed solutions.

The mention of President Trump's executive order is not accompanied by direct statements from government officials or documents, which raises questions about the reliability of this information. The article would benefit from a more diverse range of sources, including industry reports, expert analyses, and official statements, to provide a more comprehensive view of the issues discussed.

Overall, while the article draws on some credible sources, the lack of direct attribution and diversity in sourcing limits its reliability and depth. Including a wider array of authoritative voices would enhance the article's source quality.

4
Transparency

The article lacks transparency in terms of its methodology and the basis for several claims. For example, while it discusses China's dominance in shipbuilding and U.S. strategic disadvantages, it does not provide detailed explanations or data sources to support these assertions.

There is also a lack of disclosure regarding potential conflicts of interest or the author's background, which could influence the article's perspective. The absence of detailed sourcing or explanations for the claims made about U.S. shipbuilding challenges and the proposed executive order by President Trump further diminishes transparency.

To improve transparency, the article should include more explicit references to data sources, methodologies used to derive conclusions, and any potential biases or interests that could affect the reporting. This would provide readers with a clearer understanding of how the information was gathered and presented.

Sources

  1. https://armyrecognition.com/news/navy-news/2025/focus-us-navys-shipbuilding-industry-confronts-production-challenges-as-global-maritime-threats-rise
  2. http://acecomments.mu.nu/?post=369714http%3A%2F%2Facecomments.mu.nu%2F%3Fpost%3D369714
  3. https://news.usni.org/2025/01/07/navy-plan-to-add-85-news-ships-will-cost-1-trillion-cbo-says
  4. https://8kun.top/qresearch/res/22799178.html
  5. https://www.statista.com/statistics/239316/total-deployable-battle-force-ships-of-the-us-navy/