Graham grills Navy on budget that shrinks the fleet as China grows: ‘Doesn’t make sense’

Sen. Lindsey Graham ripped into Navy leaders on Tuesday for backing the Biden administration’s 2024 budget plan that calls for a shrinking Navy fleet, even as China’s continues to expand.

At a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing, Graham got Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro to confirm that the Navy currently has 296 ships, while China has “upward of 300.”

“Like 340?” Graham pressed on China’s fleet size.

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“Yes, sir,” Del Toro acknowledged.

Del Toro acknowledged that under Biden’s proposed budget, the U.S. Navy would be left with 291 ships by 2028, while China’s fleet would grow to about 440.

“I will add that our ships are extremely more modern than they ever have been,” Del Toro said.

“Well, let’s hope so,” Graham replied. “If not we’re in a world of hurt.”

Graham then pressed Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday on whether he supports the Biden budget, even though the Navy has said it needs at least 373 manned ships.

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“I do,” Gilday said when asked if he supports Biden’s budget. When asked how the Navy will ever get to 373 ships when the fleet is shrinking under Biden’s fiscal plan, Gilday said the Navy has laid out one option for getting there – a budget plan that lets the Navy expand by 5% above inflation.

However, Graham noted that the proposed Navy budget is not keeping up with inflation.

“The actual budget is 2% below inflation,” Graham said. “How can you support a plan that requires 5% to get you to where you want to go, and the actual plan is 2% below inflation? That doesn’t make sense to me. Does that make sense to you?”

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Del Toro seemed to resist those numbers in an earlier line of questioning. When Graham asked Del Toro what the current rate of inflation is for the country, Del Toro said it was 4.6%, but later acknowledged that 4.6% is the estimate that was used when the budget was being prepared.

“What’s the actual inflation rate?” Graham asked.

“Somewhere in the 6% range, sir,” Del Toro said.

“So the predictor was wrong,” Graham said.

“Predictors are often wrong,” Del Toro replied.