President Donald J. Trump has signed a Presidential Memorandum authorizing the construction of up to four Arctic Security Cutters (ASCs) abroad to address urgent U.S. national security needs in the Arctic region, according to the White House statement dated October 9, 2025.
The Memorandum cites presidential authority under 14 U.S.C. 1151(b) and 10 U.S.C. 8679(b) to permit foreign construction of vessels as a national security necessity.
It directs the U.S. Coast Guard to develop a phased plan for ASC construction, with the aim of transferring technical expertise to the United States for future domestic production.
The White House confirmed that President Trump also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Finland to construct the four ASCs in Finnish shipyards.
The agreement envisions using Finnish expertise to support the subsequent construction of up to seven additional ASCs in U.S. shipyards.
The initiative seeks to enhance the American Arctic fleet, strengthen defense capabilities, and revitalize shipbuilding in both countries.
The Memorandum identifies increased strategic competition, military posturing, and economic activity by foreign adversaries in the Arctic as threats to U.S. sovereignty and interests. It notes that the U.S. Coast Guard currently operates only two Arctic Security Cutters: one commissioned in 1976 and another recently converted from a commercial vessel.
The Coast Guard estimates that at least nine ASCs are needed to ensure year-round Arctic readiness.
According to the White House, foreign construction is a temporary measure to address capability gaps while encouraging future domestic investment in shipbuilding. The agreement with Finland is expected to bring new technology and investment to the United States.
President Trump stated, “We need icebreakers in the U.S. And if we can get some inexpensively, I’d like to do that.”
The Memorandum follows prior efforts by the administration to expand U.S. icebreaking capacity, including a 2024 memorandum accelerating the program and recent funding allocations of nearly $9 billion for heavy, medium, and light Arctic Security Cutters under the administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
