New acting Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. James Kilby said he regrets the Navy’s reliance on expensive, high-powered missile interceptors to counter the Houthi threat in the Red Sea and pledged to push for cheaper, more efficient solutions.

Speaking to reporters at the Sea Air Space conference in National Harbor, Maryland, Kilby said he was "not concerned" about the Navy’s ability to protect its people – such as the 350 sailors aboard the USS Carney missile destroyer – or its ability to safeguard commercial shipping.

He is concerned, however, about "not having better ways to more economically attrit the threat." 

In his former role as deputy commander of Fleet Forces Command, Kilby said he was "focused on a high-end laser – 500kW to one megawatt – and I have regret for that."

TRUMP ADMIN FIRES NAVY ADMIRAL AT NATO TARGETED BY CONSERVATIVE GROUP

"I had not been thoughtful enough to think about the UAV threat, where I think a much lesser-powered weapon would have done what we needed it to do," Kilby said.

He promised the Navy was now working to overhaul its costly defense tactics with "much more cost-effective" technologies to counter autonomous vehicles in the Red Sea, as he called on the defense industry to more quickly produce munitions for the mission.

"We have to get after our industrial base or munitions industrial base the same way we have to get after our shipbuilding industrial base," said Kilby. 

When asked if the Navy had enough munitions to counter the Houthi threat, Kilby replied, "I think we need more munitions." 

"We certainly need more depth of magazine, if we’re going to get into a protracted conflict." 

The U.S. launched a renewed offensive campaign against Yemen's Houthi rebels last month, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday, "it's about to get worse" for the Houthis.

Onlookers have long decried the disproportionate cost of taking on the Yemeni rebels. Naval missiles that run around $2 million a shot have been used to take out drones that cost the Houthis no more than $2,000. Since the March 15 offensive began, the Houthis have also downed three MQ-9 Reaper drones — each worth about $30 million.

Kilby replaced Adm. Lisa Franchetti in an acting capacity in February, after she was let go as part of a broader purge of high-level military leadership by the Trump administration. Former Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. C.Q. Brown and Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Slife were also relieved of command.

It is not yet clear whether Kilby will be nominated to serve as CNO in a permanent capacity and put forward for Senate confirmation.

However, Kilby said he would continue Franchetti’s goal of getting the Navy to a point where 80% of its ships are ready to deploy for combat at any given moment. Currently, he said, submarines are operating at 67% combat readiness, ships are at 68% and aircraft carriers are at 70%. 

Kilby told Fox News Digital he was pleased that "awareness seems to be higher" regarding the nation’s shipbuilding issues, adding, "it's going to take a national effort."

He also said he was "super focused" with the Marine Corps commandant and deputy commandant on getting the Medium Landing Ship (LSM) program back on track. 

HOUTHIS SHOOT DOWN 3RD US REAPER DRONE AS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CONTINUES DAILY AIRSTRIKES

The LSM program, viewed by many as crucial to moving Marines around remote islands in the Indo-Pacific in the event of conflict with China, has been plagued by delays, with work on the program stalling late last year. 

The vessel is envisioned to be able to transport forces right onto a beach without any port access, where they would be able to fire anti-ship cruise missiles and collect intelligence. 

Kilby said Navy and Marine Corps leadership are now looking to get approval to procure a ship to enter the testing phase of such a vessel.

"We're going to go through we'll look at those requirements, make sure we produce a ship that can meet the needs of the Marine Corps and support their force design. But I'm thankful we're doing it now not when our ship's in construction. So I'm optimistic here. And we need that. You know, we need to have this expedition."

Kilby also laid out his goals for sailor recruitment shortfalls. "I’ll take that 23,000-person gap, make it 18,000 this year and 8,000 the next year." 

President Donald Trump’s decision to send a Navy warship to assist with security at the southern border sends a strong message of deterrence to those who might be thinking of crossing into the U.S. by sea, one expert says.

"It’s unusual, normally you see land forces, but it’s still smart," Alfonso Aguilar, a former chief of the U.S. Office of Citizenship and the director of Hispanic engagement at the American Principles Project, told Fox News Digital.

The comments come as the USS Gravely, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, is being deployed to assist in border security efforts under Trump’s executive order, the Navy said in a statement Saturday.

"Gravely’s sea-going capacity improves our ability to protect the United States’ territorial integrity, sovereignty, and security," said Gen. Gregory Guillot of U.S. Northern Command, which has been in charge of military operations at the border.

PENTAGON DEPLOYS NAVY WARSHIP THAT FOUGHT HOUTHIS TO NEW US SOUTHERN BORDER MISSION IN LINE WITH TRUMP ORDER

The primary mission of the USS Gravely, which has already departed Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, Virginia, for the border mission, will be to patrol the Gulf of America on the lookout for drug smugglers, military officials said.

The USS Gravely deployment shows the Navy’s dedication to "combating maritime-related terrorism, weapons proliferation, transnational crime, piracy, environmental destruction, and illegal seaborne immigration," Navy officials said, adding that the warship will enhance "maritime efforts" and "fill critical capabilities gaps" for Department of Homeland Security operations on the border.

"It's not only vital for the United States to have control of our border via land," Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell told reporters Monday. "It's equally important to control our territorial waters, and this deployment directly supports U.S. Northern Command's mission to protect our sovereignty."

Aguilar noted that the military has already played a large role in helping secure the southern land border, making the Navy’s involvement at sea the next natural step.

TRUMP PUTTING TROOPS ON BORDER WAS GAME CHANGER, SAN DIEGO SECTOR CHIEF SAYS: ‘FORCE MULTIPLIER’

"It’s what the military calls force projection," Aguilar said. "It's a great way to dissuade those who want to try to come to the U.S. through the sea ... it’s a show of force."

Aguilar argued that the Navy’s deployment will help supplement operations already being carried out by the U.S. Coast Guard and will also enhance the Coast Guard’s capability, covering more sea and sending a strong message to those turning to the seas as an alternative to land crossings.

"Like the forces on land that are providing a supportive balance role to the Border Patrol … the Navy will be doing the same thing, providing support to the Coast Guard in doing interdiction and enforcing … immigration activities on the high seas," Aguilar said.

Aguilar also noted the timing of the deployment, arguing that it fits with what land forces have already accomplished on the border under Trump.

"The numbers have gone down, even the number of people trying [to cross the border] by sea, but it's still a route," Aguilar said. "What we have seen is that every time we close the door, they try to find another way to get in. So we have to close our land border, but we also have to close those sea entries to the U.S."

Fox News Digital's Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.

A U.S. Navy destroyer was deployed to the southern border over the weekend to help with the Trump administration’s maritime efforts to halt illegal immigration and drug smuggling.

USS Gravely, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, departed Naval Weapons Station Yorktown in Virginia for a scheduled deployment to the U.S.-Mexico border to carry out President Donald Trump’s southern border executive orders, Navy officials said in a statement on Saturday.

"Gravely’s sea-going capacity improves our ability to protect the United States’ territorial integrity, sovereignty, and security," said Gen. Gregory Guillot of U.S. Northern Command.

Air Force Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, Joint Staff director for operations, told reporters Monday that USS Gravely will go to the Gulf of America to carry out missions to intercept drug smugglers at sea.

TRUMP PUTTING TROOPS ON BORDER WAS GAME CHANGER, SAN DIEGO SECTOR CHIEF SAYS: ‘FORCE MULTIPLIER’

Navy officials said the deployment highlights the Pentagon’s dedication to "combating maritime related terrorism, weapons proliferation, transnational crime, piracy, environmental destruction, and illegal seaborne immigration."

USS Gravely, which has previously been deployed to the Red Sea to intercept missiles that the Iranian-backed Houthis fired at commercial vessels, will enhance "maritime efforts" and "fill critical capabilities gaps" in support of the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection, officials said.

"This is an important step in the whole-of-government efforts to seal the southern border and maintain U.S. sovereignty and territorial integrity," Guillot said. 

"It's not only vital for the United States to have control of our border via land," the Pentagon's chief spokesman Sean Parnell told reporters Monday. "It's equally important to control our territorial waters, and this deployment directly supports U.S. Northern Command's mission to protect our sovereignty." 

A Coast Guard captain told Fox News Digital earlier this month that there were about 200 migrant boat encounters near the San Diego coast over the previous 90 days, attributing the uptick to the Trump administration’s increase in land border security.

TRUMP POLICY ON BORDER JUMPERS EMPOWERS USE OF ‘MAXIMUM CONSEQUENCES,’ BORDER AGENT TELLS FOX

"They're locking down the land border pretty good… where they used to get thousands a day. Now, they're now down in the hundreds a day," Coast Guard District 11 Capt. Jason Hagen said. "So, the migrants have to go somewhere. The smugglers have to move their operations somewhere. And we're starting to see an uptick in the maritime environment."

Hagen said those encountered aboard migrant boats include foreign nationals from U.S. adversary countries.

"We're starting to see an uptick in other nationalities, as well, which is a… national security concern because it's not just your economic Mexicans looking to come to the United States for work," Hagen said. "It's also… bad actors coming from other countries. We've seen nationalities to include Chinese, Russian, Uzbekistan[i], Pakistan[i]. It's really all over the place."

Fox News Digital’s Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.

Norway made clear that it will continue supplying fuel for U.S. Navy ships after a private marine fuel supplier threatened to boycott the U.S. in response to deteriorating U.S.-Ukraine relations.

"We have seen reports raising concerns about support for U.S. Navy vessels in Norway. This is not in line with the Norwegian government's policy," Norway's Defense Minister Tore Sandvik said in a statement Sunday, according to a report from Reuters.

The statement comes after privately held Norwegian fuel supplier Haltbakk Bunkers took to social media Friday and threatened a boycott of the U.S. Navy in response to President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s heated Oval Office exchange.

TRUMP SAYS UKRAINE RARE EARTH MINERALS DEAL WILL LEAD TO ‘SUSTAINABLE’ FUTURE BETWEEN US, UKRAINE

"Huge credit to the president of Ukraine restraining himself and for keeping calm even though USA put on a backstabbing TV show. It made us sick... No Fuel to Americans!," the company said in a Facebook post that has since been deleted.

The company’s CEO, Gunnar Gran, confirmed to the Norwegian newspaper VG that he had decided not to supply the U.S. military, according to the Reuters report, though the company also acknowledged that the move would only have a "symbolic" impact, since Haltbakk Bunkers does not have a fixed contract with the U.S. government.

The company’s threat comes after a heated exchange in the Oval Office among Trump, Zelenskyy and Vice President JD Vance on Friday, when Vance accused the Ukrainian leader of being "disrespectful" to Trump in the White House.

"Mr. President, with respect, I think it's disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media," Vance told Zelenskyy. "Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines, because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president for bringing it, to bring it into this country."

ZELENSKYY SPEAKS OUT AFTER PUBLIC SPAT WITH TRUMP, VANCE, SAYS DUSTUP 'BAD FOR BOTH SIDES'

Trump then joined the fray after Zelenskyy claimed that the U.S. would feel the war "in the future," an argument the American leader did not appreciate.

"You don't know that," Trump responded. "Don't tell us what we're going to feel. We're trying to solve a problem. Don't tell us what we're going to feel."

The exchange caused some to express concerns about not only the U.S.'s commitment to Ukraine’s continued war effort but also Trump’s apparent strained relationship with European allies overall.

But Norway, a NATO ally, made clear that the country has no plans to join the threats to cut off the U.S. military.

"American forces will continue to receive the supply and support they require from Norway," Sandvik said.

President Donald Trump filled two more roles within his administration late Thursday by announcing who will be serving as deputy secretary of commerce and under secretary of the Navy.

Trump selected former Virginia congressional candidate, Hung Cao, to serve as the next under secretary of the Navy and former under secretary of energy for science, Paul Dabbar, to serve as deputy secretary of commerce.

The president congratulated both men, who are Navy veterans and graduates of the United States Naval Academy, in separate Truth Social posts Thursday night.

TRUMP REVEALS SLEW OF PICKS FOR BIG JOBS, INCLUDING FRIEND OF MIKE PENCE, BILLIONAIRE'S WIFE

Cao, who came to the U.S. in 1975 after his family escaped Vietnam shortly before the fall of Saigon, most recently ran for U.S. Senate in Virginia against Democrat Sen. Tim Kaine during the 2024 election, losing to the incumbent senator. He was endorsed by Trump during the race.

He retired from the Navy as a captain after 25 years in Special Operations. While Cao served in combat roles, he also worked at the Pentagon and was assigned to balancing the Navy's $140 billion budget.

"Hung is the embodiment of the American Dream. As a refugee to our Great Nation, Hung worked tirelessly to make proud the Country that gave his family a home. He went to our amazing United States Naval Academy, and later earned his Master’s Degree in Physics. Hung served in combat as a Special Operations Officer for twenty five years. With Hung’s experience both in combat, and in the Pentagon, he will get the job done. Congratulations to Hung, and his wonderful family!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Cao thanked the president for selecting him in a post on X and said "let's get to work."

VAN JONES PRAISES TRUMP FOR 'VERY GOOD' CHOICE WITH NEW PARDON CZAR PICK 

Dabbar, who worked in Trump's Department of Energy during his first term, served in the Navy as a submarine officer and spent years after his military career working in the energy sector as a managing director at J.P. Morgan.

Trump said Dabbar will work with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to "bring back American Leadership in Global Commerce, Trade, and Technology."

"Paul served as my Under Secretary of Energy for Science, where he lead the National Labs that started as the Manhattan Project, helping to drive semiconductors, AI, quantum, Energy Dominance, and our War-fighting capabilities," Trump wrote on Truth Social, in part.

The president still has to announce his picks for hundreds of smaller positions, but has nearly rounded out his Cabinet. Of the 22 nominations made that require Senate confirmation, 19 have been confirmed as of Thursday.

Former Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti spoke to staff after the Trump administration ousted her and other top leaders at the Pentagon Friday, asserting that the Navy's mission will continue "unabated and undisrupted."

Franchetti, the first woman to serve as the chief of naval operations and on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, described leading the sea service as the "honor of a lifetime" and thanked Navy sailors for their service supporting the U.S. 

"We are America’s Warfighting Navy and America is counting on us to deter aggression, defend our National security interests, and preserve our way of life," Franchetti, who had served as the Navy's top officer since 2023, said in a Tuesday LinkedIn post that has since been deleted. "We operate from seabed to space, around the globe and around the clock. Our mission continues, unabated and undisrupted…There is no time to waste."

After publication, the Navy clarified that the post was not intended to be shared on social media. A U.S. official with knowledge of the situation told Fox News Digital that the message was sent to a "small group" of staff and senior Navy leaders, but it was not intended to be shared with a wider audience. 

"She did not post or direct the message to be posted on LinkedIn," the U.S. official said in a statement. "The message was improperly posted by a junior staffer who had access to the LinkedIn account but did not have authorization to post the content of Admiral Franchetti’s Friday email."

TRUMP NOMINATES AIR FORCE LT. GEN. DAN 'RAZIN' CAINE FOR JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF CHAIRMAN

Franchetti joined the Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps as a student at Northwestern University and was commissioned in 1985. She told Navy Times in 2023 that she met other ROTC students at a barbecue during freshman orientation week, who notified her about the scholarship opportunities ROTC provided.

At the time of her commissioning, women were barred from serving on combatant ships and aircraft and were instead assigned to ships like oilers and destroyer tenders. However, Congress repealed the law in 1993 — paving the way for women like Franchetti to serve in top leadership positions in the Navy. 

"I joined for free college and books, but I stayed for our mission, the opportunity to serve something greater than myself, and the chance to be part of amazing teams in the world’s most lethal fighting force: America’s Warfighting Navy," Franchetti wrote on LinkedIn. 

Ultimately, Franchetti went on to command two carrier strike groups, and served as the deputy commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa and the commander of the U.S. 6th Fleet, which falls under U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa.

Other leaders the Trump administration removed Friday included Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown and Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Jim Slife. 

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth requested nominations to replace Franchetti and Slife, and said that both had "distinguished careers."

"We thank them for their service and dedication to our country," Hegseth said in a Friday statement. 

Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. James Kilby announced that he would take over responsibilities as the top officer in the Navy until a permanent replacement was found for Franchetti. 

FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF BIDS FAREWELL IN HEARTFELT SOCIAL MEDIA POST: ‘DISTINCT HONOR’

"The work of our Navy continues without disruption," Kilby said in a statement Saturday. "We will sustain forward-deployed lethal forces that enhance the peace and deter our adversaries."

The Navy did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. It remains unclear where Franchetti will be reassigned. 

Hegseth didn’t provide any additional comment on Franchetti or her career, but previously described her as a "DEI hire" in his 2024 book, "The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free." 

Hegseth also announced Friday that President Donald Trump plans to nominate retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan "Razin" Caine to replace Brown, claiming that Caine embodies the "warfighter ethos" the U.S. military needs. 

"Under President Trump, we are putting in place new leadership that will focus our military on its core mission of deterring, fighting and winning wars," Hegseth said. 

Former Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti is speaking out after the Trump administration ousted her and other top leaders at the Pentagon Friday, asserting that the Navy's mission will continue "unabated and undisrupted."

Franchetti, the first woman to serve as the chief of naval operations and on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, described leading the sea service as the "honor of a lifetime" and thanked Navy sailors for their service supporting the U.S. 

"We are America’s Warfighting Navy and America is counting on us to deter aggression, defend our National security interests, and preserve our way of life," Franchetti, who had served as the Navy's top officer since 2023, said in a Tuesday LinkedIn post. "We operate from seabed to space, around the globe and around the clock. Our mission continues, unabated and undisrupted…There is no time to waste."

TRUMP NOMINATES AIR FORCE LT. GEN. DAN 'RAZIN' CAINE FOR JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF CHAIRMAN

Franchetti joined the Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps as a student at Northwestern University and was commissioned in 1985. She told Navy Times in 2023 that she met other ROTC students at a barbecue during freshman orientation week, who notified her about the scholarship opportunities ROTC provided.

At the time of her commissioning, women were barred from serving on combatant ships and aircraft and were instead assigned to ships like oilers and destroyer tenders. However, Congress repealed the law in 1993 — paving the way for women like Franchetti to serve in top leadership positions in the Navy. 

"I joined for free college and books, but I stayed for our mission, the opportunity to serve something greater than myself, and the chance to be part of amazing teams in the world’s most lethal fighting force: America’s Warfighting Navy," Franchetti wrote on LinkedIn. 

Ultimately, Franchetti went on to command two carrier strike groups, and served as the deputy commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa and the commander of the U.S. 6th Fleet, which falls under U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa.

Other leaders the Trump administration removed Friday included Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown and Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Jim Slife. 

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth requested nominations to replace Franchetti and Slife, and said that both had "distinguished careers."

"We thank them for their service and dedication to our country," Hegseth said in a Friday statement. 

Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. James Kilby announced that he would take over responsibilities as the top officer in the Navy until a permanent replacement was found for Franchetti. 

FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF BIDS FAREWELL IN HEARTFELT SOCIAL MEDIA POST: ‘DISTINCT HONOR’

"The work of our Navy continues without disruption," Kilby said in a statement Saturday. "We will sustain forward-deployed lethal forces that enhance the peace and deter our adversaries."

The Navy did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. It remains unclear where Franchetti will be reassigned. 

Hegseth didn’t provide any additional comment on Franchetti or her career, but previously described her as a "DEI hire" in his 2024 book, "The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free." 

Hegseth also announced Friday that President Donald Trump plans to nominate retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan "Razin" Caine to replace Brown, claiming that Caine embodies the "warfighter ethos" the U.S. military needs. 

"Under President Trump, we are putting in place new leadership that will focus our military on its core mission of deterring, fighting and winning wars," Hegseth said. 

President Donald Trump fired the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force Gen. C.Q. Brown, and a number of other top military officers over the weekend in a dramatic shakeup of Pentagon leadership.

Trump announced on social media Friday that he was replacing Brown and planned on nominating retired Lt. Gen. Dan "Razin" Caine to fill his role as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, making him the military’s top officer.

A report from Reuters noted Trump’s move was "unprecedented," becoming the first time a president has pulled a military officer out of retirement to head the Joint Chiefs. 

The move was just one of many changes Trump announced to top military brass in recent days, including plans to replace the U.S. Navy's top officer, Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to lead one of the military branches. Trump is also removing the Air Force vice chief of staff, Gen. Jim Slife, and the judge advocates general of the Army, Navy and Air Force.

OBAMA FIRED TOP MILITARY OFFICERS TO ALIGN PENTAGON WITH HIS POLICY VISION, NOW TRUMP SET TO DO THE SAME

"I want to thank General Charles 'CQ' Brown for his over 40 years of service to our country, including as our current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is a fine gentleman and an outstanding leader, and I wish a great future for him and his family," Trump wrote in a social media post.

Trump campaigned heavily on the idea of removing "woke" generals from the top of the military, especially those he believed were responsible for botching the U.S. exit from Afghanistan in 2021.

Trump’s defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has also made it a point to root out Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the military, going so far as to question whether Brown was given the nod as the nation’s top military officer as a result of his race.

"Was it because of his skin color? Or his skill? We'll never know, but always doubt – which on its face seems unfair to CQ. But since he has made the race card one of his biggest calling cards, it doesn't really much matter," Hegseth wrote in his 2024 book.

OFFICIALS PUSH BACK ON CLAIMS OF 'LIST' OF GENERALS HEGSETH PLANS TO FIRE AT PENTAGON

The decision to move on from Franchetti also reverses a 2023 decision by former President Joe Biden, who surprised Pentagon leaders by tapping Franchetti over Adm. Samuel Paparo, who at the time led the Navy’s Pacific Command and was widely expected to be in line for the service’s top job.

But Trump’s decision has also caused "upheaval" at the Pentagon, according to the Reuters report, where the Defense Department was already bracing for mass cuts to its civilian staff.

The moves were also condemned by the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. Jack Reed, of Rhode Island, who called the firings "political."

"Firing uniformed leaders as a type of political loyalty test, or for reasons relating to diversity and gender that have nothing to do with performance, erodes the trust and professionalism that our service members require to achieve their missions," Reed told Reuters.

The White House did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., launched a unique attack against U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer over a plan to relinquish a military base in the Indian Ocean, cautioning the British leader to "put down the bong."

"Because the United Nations wants the United Kingdom to feel guilty, they want to give our military base and their military base to Mauritius," Kennedy said on the floor of the Senate. "Now, the prime minister of the United Kingdom can stop this, and Marco Rubio, our new Secretary of State, is against it. And I haven’t talked to him directly, but I think President Trump is against it."

At issue is the fate of the Chagos Islands, a British overseas territory in the Indian Ocean that currently hosts a U.S.-U.K. joint naval base at Diego Garcia.

UN DEMANDS BRITAIN END RULE OF CHAGOS ISLANDS IN 6 MONTHS

But a ruling by the International Court of Justice in 2019 that was backed by the United Nations found that the U.K. had no claim to the islands, spurring an October announcement that the U.K. had cut a deal to hand over sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius

While the deal calls for the base to remain under American and British control for another 99-years, the plan to hand over the territory has received push back in both the U.K and the United States.

Kennedy let it be known that he was one of those critics, calling the plan to give up control of the islands "bone deep down to the marrow stupid."

UN COURT TO RULE ON BRITISH SOVEREIGNTY OVER CHAGOS ISLANDS

"The United Kingdom is our friend. I went to school there for a while. I love them and I want to see the prime minister do well, but he needs to put down the bong. He needs to put down the bong," Kennedy said. "This makes absolutely no sense, and it’s going to be a big part of his legacy if he gives away this island and our military base to, in effect, what will eventually be China."

The Louisiana senator then suddenly changed gears, arguing that he did not "mean any disrespect," while still urging Starmer to reconsider.

"I shouldn’t have said the bong part, I take it back," Kennedy said. "Please Mr. prime minister, don’t do this. Don’t do this. We’ll stand with you in telling the United Nations, who’s so upset with you, to go fill out a hurt feelings report because we’re not doing it. We’ll stand with you."

The prime minister’s office did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.

Unmanned sea drones are on the prowl to interdict drug smugglers in America's waters as part of a new Navy operation.  

The operation will test the Navy’s use of maritime drones, in its early stages, and apply lessons learned to missions all across the globe. 

Dubbed Operation Southern Spear, the Navy’s 4th Fleet will use "a heterogeneous mix of Robotic and Autonomous Systems (RAS) to support the detection and monitoring of illicit trafficking while learning lessons for other theaters," a news release said on Monday. 

DEMOCRATS PRESS ARMY SECRETARY NOMINEE IF ‘READINESS’ AFFECTED BY SOUTHERN BORDER DEPLOYMENTS

As President Donald Trump shuts down the U.S. southern and northern borders, smugglers are expected to look for alternative routes to carry out their illegal trafficking business. Human and drug trafficking cartels have increasingly turned to the nation’s maritime borders to smuggle weapons, narcotics and people into the country.  

According to recent data, more illicit drugs were seized at sea by Customs and Border Patrol’s Air and Marine Operation (AMO) in 2023 – 304,000 pounds – than by land – 241,000 pounds. 

Southern Spear will operate as part of Joint Task Force South – a Defense Department task force made up of Navy, Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection, as well as 20 partner countries focused on counter-narcotics and maritime security in the Carribean, Central and South America. 

TRUMP THREATENS TO TAP ALLIES FOR MILITARY SHIPBUILDING IF US CAN'T PRODUCE

Included in the operation are 20 high-endurance Saildrone Voyager unmanned surface vehicles, equipped with a newly upgraded sensor suite, according to the press release. The vehicles are 10 meters long and can surveil thousands of square miles of water per day to look for smugglers. 

The drones have already sailed the Persian Gulf under the Navy’s Hybrid Fleet Campaign and Project 33 and as part of Operation Windward Stack, operated by the 4th Fleet throughout 2024. They offer a 95% detection rate and are contractor owned and operated. This means that SailDrone operates the surveillance platform while the Defense Department purchases the data. 

ARMY SAW SPIKE IN DEADLY AVIATION ACCIDENTS IN YEAR BEFORE DC PLANE CRASH DISASTER

"As land borders become more secure, traffickers will exploit maritime pathways more than ever. We're honored to serve, providing autonomous around-the-clock maritime surveillance to help stop smugglers before they reach our shores," said Tom Alexander, Saildrone VP of government relations. 

Already, nearly 90% of cocaine is trafficked at sea, according to the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS). Cartels look to exploit gaps in surveillance coverage that the new mission will look to plug with maritime drones.  

Utilizing U.S. military might to disrupt the flow of human and drug trafficking at the southern border has been a top priority for Trump. 

Upon taking office, the president immediately sent an additional 1,500 troops and additional assets to the border. Over the weekend, the U.S. secured an agreement with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who will send 10,000 Mexican troops to the U.S.-Mexico border in exchange for a one-month delay in Trump’s threat of 25% tariffs on goods flowing in from Mexico. 

President Biden announced the names of the newest aircraft carriers that will join the U.S. Navy: USS William J. Clinton and USS George W. Bush.

The carriers, named after former President Bill Clinton and former President George W. Bush, will begin construction in the "years ahead" as part of the latest class of aircraft carriers, according to the White House.

"When I personally delivered the news to Bill and George, they were deeply humbled," Biden said in a statement Monday. "Each knows firsthand the weight of the responsibilities that come with being Commander-in-Chief.  And both know well our duty to support the families and loved ones who wait and worry for the safe return of their servicemember."

The Navy currently has 11 operational aircraft carriers, some of which are nearly 50 years old and will be retired in upcoming years. Of these carriers, eight bear the names of former presidents: USS George Washington, USS Abraham Lincoln, USS Theodore Roosevelt, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, USS Harry S. Truman, USS Ronald Reagan, USS George W. Bush, and USS Gerald R. Ford.

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Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said that the future carriers Clinton and Bush will "serve as lasting tributes to each leader’s legacy in service of the United States."

"Aircraft carriers are the centerpiece of America’s naval forces, and they ensure that the United States can project power and deliver combat capability anytime, anywhere in defense of our democracy," Austin said in a statement Monday.

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"Like their namesakes, these two future carriers, and the crews who sail them, will work to safeguard our national security, remind us of our history, and inspire others to serve our great republic," Austin said.

The future carriers Clinton and Bush are part of the Ford-class carriers to join the fleet.

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These newest carriers are outfitted with more than 20 new technologies in comparison to the previous, Nimitz-class carriers that the Navy started using in 1975. Technology upgrades include a new Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System, known as EMALS, that launches aircraft from the ship electronically, rather than using steam-powered equipment.

President-elect Donald Trump previously called for a 12-carrier Navy during his first term as president in 2017 and has signaled interest recently in possibly expanding the sea service’s force in his second term as well.

"We’re going to be announcing some things that are going to be very good having to do with the Navy," Trump told radio host Hugh Hewitt this month. "We need ships. We have to get ships. And you know, everybody said, ‘Oh, we’ll build them.’ We may have to go to others, bid them out, and it’s okay to do that. We’ll bid them out until we get ourselves ready."

President-elect Donald Trump, fed up with the U.S.' lagging ship-building capabilities, offered an out-of-character solution to the problem: Outsource production if the U.S. can’t keep up. 

"We’re going to do something with ships. We need ships. And we may have to go a different route than you would normally go," the incoming president suggested to radio host Hugh Hewitt. 

"We don’t build ships anymore. We used to build a ship a day. We don’t build ships anymore. We want to get that started. And maybe we’ll use allies, also, in terms of building ships. We might have to." 

He noted China’s vast outpacing of American shipbuilding capabilities. 

"China’s building, from what I’m hearing, every four days, they’re knocking out a ship. We’re sitting back and watching, and we’ve suffered tremendously."

Trump’s stance is sure to put the domestic shipbuilding industry and labor groups on alert. But it comes as China’s shipbuilding capacity is more than 232 times greater than that of the U.S., and the Navy has for decades struggled to build ships on time. 

And it's a divergence from his campaign promise to bring manufacturing back to the U.S., and trigger a blanket tariff on global imports into the U.S., along with a 60% tariff on all goods imported from China.

China’s navy is the largest in the world, with more than 370 ships and submarines. The U.S.' battle force includes 295 vessels, including 11 active aircraft carriers. In 2017, Congress passed a law requiring the Navy to keep and maintain 355 ships. 

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Without disclosing details, Trump hinted at a plan to grow the Navy's ship fleet. 

"We’re going to be announcing some things that are going to be very good having to do with the Navy. We need ships. We have to get ships. And you know, everybody said, ‘Oh, we’ll build them.’ We may have to go to others, bid them out, and it’s okay to do that. We’ll bid them out until we get ourselves ready," he said.

The U.S. also lags in nuclear submarines, according to military experts. The U.S.’ nuclear submarines reached a Cold War high of 140, according to Jerry Hendrix, retired Navy captain and senior fellow at the Sagamore Institute, in an op-ed for American Affairs. 

"The bottom line is that the American submarine force, the ‘point of the spear’ of American power, upon which so many military plans depend, is unprepared to meet the current threat environment, and there are no quick fixes. It has taken decades—and a sequence of bad assump­tions and poor decisions—to fall into the current state of unpreparedness," he wrote.

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The most recent figures show the U.S. submarine flight at 68, only 50 of which are classified in the hunter-killer "fast attack" category. 

Currently, China controls 46.59% of the global shipbuilding market. South Korea comes in second at 29.24%, and Japan third with 17.25%. The U.S. has a relatively insignificant control of the market at 0.13%. And it costs roughly twice as much to build a ship in the U.S. as it does elsewhere in the world. 

Congress' $895 billion annual defense policy bill authorized $33.5 billion for new ships and submarines. 

According to a Navy report last year, several key shipbuilding programs are years behind schedule, in large part due to a lack of workers. 

Trump also called out management of the Navy’s Constellation-class frigate program, blaming Biden-era officers for "playing around and tinkering," adding to costs. 

Speaking with Hewitt, Trump seemed to refer to a deal the Pentagon struck with the American arm of Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri for the new class of ships in 2020. 

"And they were going and really doing a good job, and the generals, you know, the Biden admirals and generals and all of the people that are involved, they started playing around and tinkering and changing the design, and this, you know, that costs. That costs a lot of money," Trump said.

"But the generals or the admirals went in, and they said, ‘Oh, why don’t we make it a little bit wider? Why don’t we do this? Why don’t we do that?’ And it was designed specifically for speed and other things. When you start making it wider, you start making it slower," Trump continued.

"We had it down, and they made changes. They always have to make changes. You know, these guys get in there, and they think they’re smart, and in many cases, unfortunately, they’re not smart, and they take something, and they make it worse for a lot more."

Then-President Ronald Reagan had a 600-ship goal for the Navy when he assumed office, dedicated to rebuilding the nation's fleet after the Vietnam War. But his administration also terminated a subsidy for shipbuilding that decimated the commercial market, meaning U.S. shipyards were solely dedicated to meeting the needs of the military.

President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance attended the annual Army-Navy game in Landover, Maryland, on Saturday, and they brought along some high-profile guests. 

In the 125th meeting of the Black Knights and Midshipmen, Trump brought Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, while Vance's guest was Marine veteran Daniel Penny. Also on hand were House Speaker Mike Johnson, incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Trump's director of national intelligence pick, Tulsi Gabbard, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Navy won the game, 31-13, behind quarterback Blake Horvath, who passed for two touchdowns and ran for two more. The Midshipmen raised their record to 9-3, while the loss dropped Army to 11-2. Both teams have had strong seasons. Navy will face Oklahoma in the Armed Forces Bowl, and Army is slated to play in the Independence Bowl, although no opponent has been announced since Marshall dropped out.

While the game was a highly anticipated matchup, the guests brought by Trump and Vance created a pregame buzz.

Penny was found not guilty in the subway chokehold death of Jordan Neely in New York City earlier this week, a decision which was criticized by some commentators on the left and underscored a divide between crime and mental health. Neely had been menacing riders when Penny acted to defend fellow straphangers. Penny faced up to 15 years in prison, but was acquitted of all charges.

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Hegseth is still courting members of the Senate to secure his nomination for the top defense role, but Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, whoi has been floated as a possible alternative, was also in attendance.

Hegseth’s appearance will mark a very public declaration of support from Trump, as some senators are still holding out on committing to his confirmation. Hegseth, an Army National Guard and former longtime Fox News host, deployed to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and has been the focus of misconduct reports.

Trump's defense secretary nominee has denied allegations that he mistreated women but did reach a financial settlement with an accuser from a 2017 incident to avoid a lawsuit. He has vowed that he won't drink "a drop of alcohol" if confirmed as defense secretary.

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House Speaker Mike Johnson and Elon Musk were also spotted in Trump's box at the game.

Meanwhile, Vance took a swipe at New York City prosecutors for taking on the case in a post on X confirming Penny’s attendance.

"Daniel’s a good guy, and New York’s mob district attorney tried to ruin his life for having a backbone," Vance wrote. "I’m grateful he accepted my invitation and hope he’s able to have fun and appreciate how much his fellow citizens admire his courage." 

Penny, 26, was charged with manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide for the May 2023 subway chokehold death of Neely, a 30-year-old homeless man with schizophrenia who had barged onto the train shouting death threats while high on a type of synthetic marijuana known as K2.

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Trump attended the game as president in 2018, 2019 and 2020, while he also appeared as president-elect in 2016.

President Biden has never attended the annual clash as president, although he did appear as vice president.

This season has been a banner year for both football programs, adding buzz to the annual rivalry match. The teams have a combined 19 wins this year and with victories over Air Force, the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy will be awarded to the winner of Saturday’s game. 

Fox News’ Aishah Hasnie, Paulina Dedaj and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.