July 20, 2026
Can America Actually Build Trump’s Golden Fleet?
Photo caption: HII President and CEO Chris Kastner joins Bloomberg Correspondent Scarlet Fu aboard the amphibious assault ship, Bougainville (LHA 8), which is under construction at HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division in Pascagoula, Miss.
“Shipbuilding gets in your blood. There’s just something so rewarding about building a ship you know is going to go into service.” – Chris Kastner, HII president and CEO
As the U.S. strengthens its defense industrial base, this Bloomberg TV “Wall Street Week” segment spotlights HII’s role in building the U.S. Navy’s future fleet and advancing the workforce and technologies our nation depends on.
HII President and CEO Chris Kastner sat down with Bloomberg correspondent Scarlet Fu during her visit to HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division to discuss the state of U.S. shipbuilding, domestic manufacturing, and HII’s continued transformation.
The segment also highlights the workforce training underway at the Ingalls Maritime Training Academy, where the company provides apprenticeship programs across multiple shipbuilding and maritime trade disciplines.
A portion of the feature is below, or visit Bloomberg TV for the full video story.
Can America Actually Build Trump’s Golden Fleet?
Bloomberg TV Wall Street Week
David Westin: This is a story about staying the course. As America marks 250 years of independence, President Trump has plans for a much bigger Navy. What he calls, a Golden Fleet.
But to get from planning, to doing requires more than just money. It requires workers, suppliers, shipyards, design discipline, and executing on the plan over the course of years. Even as the very nature of naval combat faces disruption.
Bloomberg’s Scarlet Fu has the story.
Scarlet Fu: This is an America Class Amphibious Assault Ship currently under construction for the U.S. Navy by Huntington Ingalls Industries, also known as HII.
Chris Kastner: So we’re on the flight deck of LHA 8, which is really the ship that takes Marines into the fight …
Watch the Full Segment Here
About HII
HII is America’s largest shipbuilder, delivering the world’s most powerful ships and all-domain mission technologies, including unmanned systems, to U.S. and allied defense customers. HII is the largest producer of unmanned underwater vehicles for the U.S. Navy and the world.
With a more than 140-year history of advancing U.S. national security, HII builds and integrates defense capabilities extending from the core fleet to C6ISR, AI/ML, EW and synthetic training. Headquartered in Virginia, HII’s workforce is 44,000 strong.
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