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Donald Trump ranted to the U.S. Navy on Tuesday during a visit to the USS George Washington at the Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan during his five-day Asia trip.
The president was accompanied by JapanesePrime Minister Sanae Takaichi as he gave a speech to troops, during which he appeared to mix up some technical details about aircraft carrier operations after walking out to the ‘YMCA.’
- Trump criticized the Navy's use of electromagnetic catapults and elevators, advocating a return to steam-powered catapults and hydraulic elevators.
- He incorrectly claimed that water could neutralize magnets and dismissed electromagnetic systems as unreliable and costly.
- Trump vowed to sign an executive order mandating steam for catapults and hydraulics for elevators on new aircraft carriers.
He suggested that carriers should return to using steam-powered catapults to launch planes and hydraulic elevators to move munitions, even though the Navy has shifted to electromagnetic systems for both.
Donald Trump was accompanied by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi
Image credits: Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images
Trump also made an incorrect claim that water could neutralize magnets.
“You know, the new thing is magnets. So instead of using hydraulic that can be hit by lightning and it’s fine. You take a little glass of water, you drop it on magnets, I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Trump said.
“So, you know, the elevators come up in the new carriers—I think I’m going to change it, by the way—they have magnets.
“Every tractor has hydraulic, every excavator, every excavating machine of any kind has hydraulic, but somebody decided to use magnets.”
In reality, modern carriers like the USS Gerald R. Ford class use electromagnetic catapults to launch aircraft, and electromagnetic elevators to transport munitions to the flight deck.
Image credits: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
These systems are designed to handle the massive forces involved in launching and arming planes and are not affected by small amounts of water.
Electromagnetic technology allows planes to be launched and weapons to be moved more quickly and efficiently than traditional hydraulic systems, though it also contributed to delays in the delivery and commissioning of the $13 billion ship.
The technology has also faced reliability issues, high costs, and additional maintenance requirements, especially during the early testing phase of the Ford.
Trump honed in on those issues as he asked the gathered troops to shout whether they preferred hydraulics or magnets, calling on a top-ranking general in the crowd to ask for his opinion.
Trump: They have magnets… Somebody decided to use magnets… I’m going to sign an executive order, when we build aircraft carriers, it’s steam for the catapults and hydraulics for the elevators. Do you agree? Everybody agrees. pic.twitter.com/O9TbTucqKR
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 28, 2025
“I’m going to sign an executive order. When we build aircraft carriers, it’s steam for the catapults and it’s hydraulic for the elevators. We’ll never have a problem,” Trump said.
“He [the general] agrees. Everybody agrees. But, ahh, these people in Washington.”
Trump vowed to axe magnets years ago, telling sailors aboard the USS Wasp in 2019, which was also based in Japan, that he would sign an order to return to steam.
Trump also spent a portion of Tuesday’s speech talking about how much he “loves the sight of that beautiful steam pouring off” the deck of a carrier.
Trump made clear he wants a return to steam operations
Trump: “They spent $900,093,000 on the catapults trying to get them to work. And they had steam, which worked so beautifully and it has for 50 years, right? So we’re gonna go back. Seriously fellas, I want to make that change. I’m gonna do an executive order.” pic.twitter.com/znIfA2yJDF
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 28, 2025
“They spent $993 million on the catapults trying to get them to work. And they had steam, which works so beautifully, and it has for 50 years,” Trump said.
“I’m going to do an executive order. I’m not going to let them continue to do this. They’re trying to make it work. They’re trying so hard, and they have something that’s perfect, so we’re going to go back on that, and the magnets.”
It is not the first time Trump has gone on a tirade about how much he hates magnets, or incorrectly claimed that water can neutralize them.
He previously suggested that China had orchestrated a global reliance on magnets 20 years ago, when there were “many other ways that the world could have gone.”
Image credits: Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images
During the swearing-in of Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard earlier this year, Trump again complained about magnets.
“They have all magnetic elevators to lift up 25 planes at a time, 20 planes at a time. And instead of using hydraulic, like on tractors that can handle anything from hurricanes to lightning to anything, they use magnets,” Trump said, according to the Daily Beast.
“It’s a new theory. Magnets are going to lift the planes up, and it doesn’t work. And they had billions and billions of dollars of cost overruns.”
His latest comments come amid his diplomatic Asia tour, where he has so far announced trade deals with Cambodia and Malaysia, as well as witnessing the signing of the Cambodia and Thailand peace deal.
Image credits: USS George H.W. Bush / Handout/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Trump also met with newly elected Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who accompanied him to the USS George Washington, in an effort to bolster U.S.-Japan relations.
The president is scheduled to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Seoul, South Korea, on Wednesday, but will depart before the APEC leaders’ summit.
He is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping for the first time since he re-took office amid ongoing trade tensions between the U.S. and China.
Trump is expected to meet Xi Jinping to discuss trade tensions
Image credits: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
The U.S. Navy reported two separate aircraft crashes in the South China Sea within the same hour on Sunday, October 26.
The first incident involved a Seahawk helicopter conducting a routine operation from the USS Nimitz, with all three crew members rescued.
About 30 minutes later, an F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet also crashed during routine operations from the same carrier, during which both pilots ejected and were safely recovered.
The navy is currently investigating the causes of both incidents, and Trump said Monday it was possible bad fuel may have played a role in the crashes.
Trump is on a roll dancing for the US Navy in Japan
YMCA slaps hard pic.twitter.com/0zuhLM2Cw2
— Re:Flex (@re_flex_world) October 28, 2025
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