U.S. Navy Files a Trademark Application for ‘Golden Fleet’

By Josh Gerben, Esq.

Published: February 13, 2026 Published: February 13, 2026

The United States Navy has filed a federal trademark application for the phrase ‘Golden Fleet.’

The filing follows a White House press conference in December, during which President Donald Trump outlined plans for a new “Trump Class” battleship.

At the event, Mr. Trump said two ships would be built initially, with a long-term goal of building 10 and eventually as many as 20 to 25 vessels as part of what he called a “golden fleet.”

According to the trademark application, which was filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on February 12, the Navy has a “bona fide intent” to use the ‘Golden Fleet’ trademark for a brand of ships. 

This type of trademark application (known as an “intent-to-use” filing) allows the owner to reserve rights before the trademark is used publicly.

While Trump’s December announcement drew attention, naval analysts questioned whether the concept would advance beyond early design stages.

Some experts have described the preliminary specifications as unconventional and warned that funding, development timelines, and engineering complexity could delay or derail the program before any ships reach active service.

Nevertheless, the trademark filing indicates that, at least from a branding standpoint, the Navy is moving to secure exclusive rights to the ‘Golden Fleet’ name.

That said, under U.S. trademark law, this type of “intent-to-use” application cannot be registered until the trademark owner demonstrates actual use in commerce. Private companies typically satisfy that requirement by selling goods or services under the mark across state lines.

Government applicants must meet the same statutory standard, though how that standard is applied can differ depending on the nature of the goods. In this case, the typical standard for having “actual use in commerce” for a ‘Golden Fleet’ brand of ships would be to have the ships sailing under the name.

Trademark owners generally have up to 4 years to show that the trademark is being “used in commerce” before an application will lapse and be rejected by the USPTO. This could prove to be a difficult timeline for the Navy, given how long it might take to develop and build the ships.

The trademark effort also reflects a broader culture of branding associated with Mr. Trump and his business organizations, which have historically maintained large trademark portfolios covering names and slogans across industries.

Can the Navy actually register ‘Golden Fleet?’

From my perspective, this filing is fascinating because it shows the federal government using its own trademark system to lock down a brand name early (before a product exists), just like a private company.

An “intent-to-use” trademark application effectively reserves a name on a federal basis. But the law still requires proof of real-world commercial use before registration is granted. The Navy doesn’t get a special shortcut just because it is the government.

That raises the practical question: what counts as “use in commerce” for a fleet of warships that may not be built, or at the very least not launched, within the next four years? Ships take a long time to design and construct. It’s entirely possible none will be operational within this timeframe.

So if the Navy wants this registration to issue, it may need to rely on more creative theories of use, such as contracts, program materials, or other commerce-linked activities tied to the ‘Golden Fleet’ name. We’ve seen edge-case arguments like this before, but they are rarely straightforward.

The bigger takeaway from this filing is the value that the Federal Government has put on this brand.

• SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON:

Josh Gerben, Esq.

Josh Gerben, Esq. is a nationally recognized trademark attorney and the founder of Gerben IP. Since launching the firm in 2008, he has overseen the registration of over 10,000 trademarks and handled over 1,500 trademark disputes. Josh's practice focuses on building and defending global trademark portfolios for clients. These clients include entrepreneurs, private equity-backed businesses, athletes, celebrities, and public companies. Frequently quoted by major media outlets like CNBC, CNN, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal, Josh is widely regarded as a leading authority in trademark law.