Trump Orders 11 New Icebreakers to Close Gap with Russia's Arctic Fleet Dominance

Donald Trump has acknowledged that the US trails far behind Russia when it comes to icebreakers

US President Donald Trump has acknowledged that the United States significantly lags behind Russia in terms of icebreaker capabilities. Speaking from the White House, Trump described the disparity between the two nations' fleets as "ridiculous".

"You know, we only have one in the whole country. Russia has 48, and we have one. That's just ridiculous," Trump stated, emphasizing the substantial capability gap.

To swiftly bolster America's Arctic presence, Trump announced that Washington has commissioned 11 new icebreakers from Finland.

Trump expressed his concern about Russian superiority in icebreakers, saying, "We only have one in the whole country. Russia has 48, and we have one. And that's just ridiculous," while revealing that 11 new vessels are currently under construction.

In October, the United States and Finland entered into an agreement to jointly produce these vessels, with four being built in Finnish shipyards and seven in the United States, as Washington strengthens its Arctic commitments.

"You're getting the best icebreakers in the world, the top of the line. And they're going to be delivered very soon," Trump added.

The $6.1-billion agreement, finalized in October 2025, represents a significant expansion of the US Coast Guard's fleet, which currently operates only two functional polar icebreakers - one launched in 1976 and another commercial vessel recently brought into service.

According to a White House fact sheet issued on October 9, Trump signed the memorandum of understanding to address "urgent national security needs in the Arctic region." The administration indicated that the Coast Guard has determined it needs at least nine icebreakers to protect US interests year-round in the increasingly strategic Arctic waters.

The document also emphasized that outsourcing production to Finland is a temporary measure intended to address a critical capability gap, with the majority of the new vessels ultimately planned to be built in the United States.