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Trump Orders the Navy to Return to an Older System of Launching Jets off Aircraft Carriers

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"We already secured military access via the 1951 Defense Agreement—making force both illegal and strategically redundant."

"There is an agreement from 1950 that allows the US to have as many American bases they want in Greenland."

"There is a 31% chance that Trump and Greenland will sign a deal by December 31st, 2026."

"There is an ongoing diplomatic track with the United States."

"We are ready to negotiate a better partnership and so on, but sovereignty is a red line."

"A revised defense agreement may also be proposed – largely symbolic, but offering Trump a visible ‘win’ that could cool things off.”

“The door is already wide open... the U.S. has an open invitation to increase the size of its military base and potentially have other military bases there.”

"I have no doubt we can do this quite fast. Certainly I would hope for 2026, I hope even early in 2026."

“It’s really being negotiated now, the details of it, but essentially it’s total access. There’s no end, there’s no time limit.”

Will the US Sign a Formal Agreement Granting Expanded Military Access or Basing Rights in Greenland?

President Trump signed a national security memorandum on Thursday directing the U.S. Navy to remove the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System from its newest Ford-class aircraft carriers and replace it with steam-powered catapults, a change experts say will likely cost billions of dollars.

President Trump signed a national security memorandum on Thursday directing the U.S. Navy to remove the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System from its newest Ford-class aircraft carriers and replace it with steam-powered catapults, a change experts say will likely cost billions of dollars.

The directive targets the USS Doris Miller, the fourth Ford-class carrier currently under construction, while the USS Gerald R. Ford, USS John F. Kennedy and USS Enterprise will remain unaffected. General Atomics, the EMALS manufacturer, said work on the Doris Miller's catapults was already halfway complete.

The directive targets the USS Doris Miller, the fourth Ford-class carrier currently under construction, while the USS Gerald R. Ford, USS John F. Kennedy and USS Enterprise will remain unaffected. General Atomics, the EMALS manufacturer, said work on the Doris Miller's catapults was already halfway complete.

General Atomics warned that altering the Doris Miller's design at this stage would introduce significant cost, schedule and integration risks. Trump's memo also cited the Navy's history of constant design changes as a key factor behind cost growth, delays and cancellations in shipbuilding.

General Atomics warned that altering the Doris Miller's design at this stage would introduce significant cost, schedule and integration risks. Trump's memo also cited the Navy's history of constant design changes as a key factor behind cost growth, delays and cancellations in shipbuilding.

EMALS reduced the number of sailors needed to operate carrier catapults from roughly a dozen to two. The Navy reported in February that the system enabled the USS Ford to launch and recover aircraft at a higher rate than Nimitz-class predecessors.

EMALS reduced the number of sailors needed to operate carrier catapults from roughly a dozen to two. The Navy reported in February that the system enabled the USS Ford to launch and recover aircraft at a higher rate than Nimitz-class predecessors.

Naval expert Bryan Clark of the Hudson Institute told The Wall Street Journal that reverting to steam would require more sailors for maintenance, noting the Ford-class carries approximately 500 fewer crew members in part due to its electric systems. China's newest carriers use electromagnetic catapults, and France plans to adopt the system on its next carrier.

Naval expert Bryan Clark of the Hudson Institute told The Wall Street Journal that reverting to steam would require more sailors for maintenance, noting the Ford-class carries approximately 500 fewer crew members in part due to its electric systems. China's newest carriers use electromagnetic catapults, and France plans to adopt the system on its next carrier.

Trump's opposition to EMALS dates to at least 2017, when he criticized the system in a Time magazine interview. The directive comes as the Pentagon seeks a $95 billion military funding package and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth estimated the Iran war's cost at $37.5 billion, with the Senate still to vote on both measures.

Trump's opposition to EMALS dates to at least 2017, when he criticized the system in a Time magazine interview. The directive comes as the Pentagon seeks a $95 billion military funding package and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth estimated the Iran war's cost at $37.5 billion, with the Senate still to vote on both measures.

Trump orders the Navy to return to an older system of launching jets off aircraft carriers

Trump orders the Navy to return to an older system of launching jets off aircraft carriers

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Trump orders the Navy to return to an older system of launching jets off aircraft carriers

Trump orders the Navy to return to an older system of launching jets off aircraft carriers

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