Dear Friends,
Last week, the White House announced a multi-billion-dollar investment from South Korean companies to help revitalize America’s shipbuilding industry. This initiative seeks to confront decades of decline in American shipbuilding by addressing persistent challenges such as workforce shortages, outdated infrastructure, and inefficiencies in construction and maintenance.
South Korea has long stood as one of America’s most dependable allies—defending shared interests against Chinese and North Korean aggression while operating some of the world’s most advanced and innovative shipyards. Drawing upon South Korean expertise and investment will not only help the United States reclaim lost capacity, but also restore American leadership in the global shipbuilding arena.
As many of America’s shipyards have fallen into neglect, China has seized the initiative, rapidly expanding its industrial base and building up a blue-water navy capable of enforcing its expansionist ambitions in the Taiwan Strait and beyond. Today, the United States produces just 0.1% of the world’s ships, while China commands more than half of global output. This imbalance has enabled Beijing to project military and economic power farther than ever before.
This is a defining moment for our nation’s maritime future. Veterans on Duty commends President Trump for continuing to take decisive steps to rebuild American shipbuilding and preserve our naval superiority for generations to come. The clock is already ticking. America must act with urgency to ensure that our shipyards—and our fleet—remain second to none.
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Signed,
Hooff Cooksey
Executive Director, Veterans On Duty
