Trump plan for foreign shipbuilders could create 540,000 jobs and expand US fleet

President Trump is eyeing foreign shipbuilders to establish operations in the United States as part of an effort to rapidly expand the Navy's fleet, Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said Sunday, arguing the move could create roughly 540,000 American jobs while bolstering the nation's defense.

"Right now, we're held with two manufacturers in the United States that are building ships, so what the president wants to do is look at other builders," Cao told "The Big Weekend Show."

"We're not building foreign ships. What we're doing is having them invest in the United States," he said.

TIM SHEEHY EXPOSES A 'SCARY' SHIPBUILDING COLLAPSE THAT LEAVES THE US VULNERABLE TO CHINA

"Toyotas and Nissans are made here in the U.S., so why can't they bring that capability over here? And maybe some of their processes are more efficient than ours also. We're gonna create 540,000 jobs when they do that."

Cao said the proposal is driven by a simple reality: the Navy does not have enough ships to meet today's global demands. This comes as tensions simmer in the Middle East and China continues expanding its military presence in the Indo-Pacific.

PETE HEGSETH FACES CONGRESS OVER PENTAGON'S UNPRECEDENTED $1.5 TRILLION BUDGET AS DEMOCRATS VOW TO BLOCK IT

"We need 350 ships," Cao explained, noting that aircraft carriers such as the USS Gerald R. Ford have seen extended deployments because there are not enough vessels to rotate into service.

"That's exactly why [the] president is pushing for this $1.5 trillion dollar budget so we can build the ships we need," he added.

Cao said his priority is ensuring the Navy has the ships, aircraft and submarines necessary to deter adversaries around the globe.

"Don't forget there's a [32-year-old] submarine out there, [the] USS Charlotte that was out there for [the] longest time, and they didn't know where it was, and they were launching missiles from right on the coastline," he added.

Charlotte sank the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena off the coast of Sri Lanka in March, becoming the first U.S. Navy submarine to sink an enemy vessel in combat since World War II.