U.S. President Donald Trump attends a press conference, as he makes an announcement about the Navy's "Golden Fleet" at Mar-a-lago in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., December 22, 2025.
On Tuesday, one GOP lawmaker after another made an embarrassing mistake while attempting to commemorate the U.S. Navy’s 251st birthday. As Wall Street Journal Deputy Washington Bureau Chief Dave Brown revealed, certain Republican politicians aren’t very adept at recognizing ships in their own military or, in some cases, those of American adversaries.
Brown began by sharing a post from Governor Brian Kemp (R) – who is currently running a close race against former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms – in which he declared, “From the early days of our nation's founding, the Navy has stood watch over our country and defended freedom across the seas. On its birthday, we salute the sailors whose service, sacrifice, and courage carry that legacy forward.” This text is above a convoy of three ships, but there’s just one problem. As Brown notes, “Those are Indian warships.”
Then came a post from Ohio State Rep. Mike Dovilla (R-OH) that read, “Happy Birthday, U.S. Navy! I am proud of my service in naval intelligence and grateful to all who serve our nation with honor, courage, and commitment. To our Sailors, veterans, and their families, thank you.” Again, the text is displayed over a series of ships, but again, Brown spots a glaring problem: “And now we’ve got Russian warships.” Dovilla has served as a Naval intelligence officer for over 20 years, and is currently running a narrow race against Democratic challenger Megan Coy. Next came a post by U.S. Border Patrol official Jeffrey J. Dinise, which Brown notes features a Kirov-class Russian battlecruiser. Brown wrapped things up with a post from Rep. Tim Moore (R-NC), who polls show has a healthy lead in his run for reelection, and celebrated the U.S. Navy with photos of Indian warships.
First formed during the American Revolution, the Navy has existed longer than the U.S. has been a country. Besides its anniversary celebrations, it has been in the news recently due to controversy surrounding historically long deployments caused by President Donald Trump’s war with Iran, and debate over his decisions to relocate naval ships and other assets from vital theaters like the South Pacific. As the USS Lincoln weathered its record 265 days at sea, for example, reports emerged of poor conditions onboard, resulting in low morale and crew members attempting to go overboard, while other vessels reported food shortages and other issues. Then when the USS George Washington was relocated from the Pacific to relieve the Lincoln, the situation left no aircraft carriers in the region to counter Chinese efforts.
Criticism of Trump's handling of the Navy started even before the war. Early in his second term, he began pushing for the creation of a "golden fleet" including "Trump-class" battleships that he claimed would be "some of the most lethal surface warfare ships" and "the fastest, the biggest, and by far, 100 times more powerful than any battleship ever built." Experts warn, however, that “battleships have been obsolete for decades." Later, Trump prompted more outcry from critics when he decreed that ships would return to using old steam-powered technology, a decision blasted as "illogical, inefficient and a waste of money."
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