Donald Trump’s ambitious Navy plan faces major hurdles

US President Donald Trump says he wants to build dozens of new warships in one of the biggest peace-time expansions of the US Navy — but ship-builders and unions say there are major obstacles to that plan.

The initiative could cost nearly $700bn (€652bn) in Government funding, take 30 years and require hiring tens of thousands of skilled shipyard workers — many of whom don’t exist yet because they still need to be hired and trained, according to interviews and internal documents reviewed.

Trump has vowed a huge build-up of the US military to project American power in the face of an emboldened China and Russia, including expanding the Navy to 350 warships from 275 today.