South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and former U.S. President Donald Trump used their first summit in Washington on Aug. 25 to float an ambitious vision: reviving America’s fading shipbuilding industry with a dose of Korean expertise.
Lee praised what he called a “renaissance” in U.S. manufacturing, telling Trump that it looked as though “America is becoming great again,” and offered South Korea as a partner in bringing heavy industry back to life. Trump, who has long lamented the decline of U.S. shipyards, embraced the idea with characteristic bluntness. “The U.S. doesn’t build much anymore, so we’ll have to buy from Korea. But through cooperation, I’d like to see ships built again in America,” he said.
The proposal dovetails with Trump’s pledge to “Make American Shipyards Great Again,” a slogan he admits will take time to realize. But with South Korea’s globally competitive shipbuilders leading the industry, Lee suggested a partnership could accelerate America’s industrial revival. The idea is likely to resonate in states with shipyard legacies, from Virginia to Mississippi, where the promise of new investment and jobs remains politically powerful.
Energy also featured in the discussion, with Trump highlighting Alaska’s vast untapped resources as a potential supply base for South Korea. Both leaders pitched this as a win-win: America gains new demand for its resources while South Korea secures a reliable energy partner, reducing dependence on more volatile suppliers.
By placing economics at the center of their conversation, Lee and Trump framed the U.S.–South Korea alliance as more than a defense pact. Instead, they hinted at a partnership designed to restore industrial capacity, create jobs, and strengthen both economies in the face of global competition. For Trump, who is campaigning on rebuilding American greatness, and for Lee, who is seeking deeper global partnerships, the vision of U.S. shipyards roaring back to life with Korean support offers a rare alignment of interests.
