Trump Authorizes Foreign Construction of Arctic Security Cutters via Presidential Memorandum

President Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum on October 9, 2025, authorizing the construction of up to four Arctic Security Cutters (ASCs) abroad to address ‘urgent national security needs’ in the Arctic region. The memorandum invokes presidential authority under 14 U.S.C. 1151(b) and 10 U.S.C. 8679(b) to permit foreign construction, bypassing traditional U.S. shipbuilding requirements and potentially undermining domestic manufacturing capabilities.

This decision represents a significant departure from longstanding policies requiring major U.S. military vessels to be built domestically, ostensibly to maintain industrial capacity and national security capabilities. By declaring foreign construction a ’national security necessity,’ the administration circumvents congressional intent behind shipbuilding requirements and potentially benefits foreign shipyards at the expense of American workers and manufacturers.

The Arctic Security Cutters are critical military assets for U.S. operations in contested Arctic waters where Russia and China are expanding their presence. The decision to build these strategic vessels abroad raises questions about supply chain security, technology transfer risks, and the administration’s commitment to domestic manufacturing priorities, while demonstrating how national security justifications can be invoked to bypass statutory requirements and congressional oversight.