…Before the #Navy settled on its plans for the Trump-class #battleship, Phelan wooed #Trump to the idea by showing oil paintings of some of the service’s great battleships from earlier eras, #defense officials said.

In its $1.5 trillion defense budget, released earlier this week, the Trump admin is asking for $65.8 billion for shipbuilding, the second-largest shipbuilding budget proposal since 1955, according to Congressional Budget Office data.

#kakistocracy #GovernmentSpending #narcissism

For #Trump, the ships recalled “Victory at Sea,” a documentary television series that ran in the 1950s & touted the role that #battleships & other #Navy vessels played in WWII.

“Did you ever see ‘Victory at Sea?’ ” he mused to reporters in January when talking about the new battleships. “What a great thing that is to watch!”

Phelan played a prominent role in selling Trump on the new ships & his ambitious plans for revitalizing the US Navy’s fleet & the US shipbuilding industry.

#kakistocracy

#Trump called Phelan to talk about his poor relationship with other leaders in the #Pentagon.

Feinberg & #Hegseth had recently seized some decision-making authority from Phelan, tapping a three-star admiral to oversee the #Navy’s submarine portfolio & having him report directly to Feinberg.

That left Phelan with oversight of the major investment in new ships that Trump has called a “golden fleet,” built around the president’s beloved #battleship program.

#MilitaryReadiness #kakistocracy

The breaking point for Phelan, who often said that he & #Trump texted & talked on the phone regularly, came in the last 2 weeks as Trump’s frustration over Phelan’s management of his prized battleship program grew & Phelan’s enemies in the #Pentagon, including #Hegseth & Deputy Defense Secy Stephen A. Feinberg, mounted a campaign to force him out.

Earlier this month, Hegseth & Feinberg told Trump that the #Navy secretary was not a team player & needed to go, military ofcls said.

#kakistocracy