Beatrice Lang
Former President Donald Trump has made several comments about magnets and electromagnetism, including his claim that magnets don't function with water. In a July 2021 interview, he stated: They want to use magnets to lift up the elevators... Magnets will not work. Give me a cup of water, throw it on the magnets, you totally short out the system. Trump also discussed the use of magnets in China, claiming that they had taken a monopoly of the world's magnets and that there were many other ways the world could have gone. Trump's comments on electromagnetism also extend to the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), which he claimed doesn't work. He specifically referenced the Gerald Ford aircraft carrier, which uses electric catapults and magnetic elevators instead of hydraulic systems. Trump's comments on magnets and electromagnetism have been met with confusion and criticism, with some questioning his understanding of the topics.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Topic | Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) |
| Date | July 2021 |
| Occasion | Interview with a Princeton professor |
| Comments | Trump expressed skepticism about EMALS, stating that magnets don't function with water. He also mentioned the use of magnets in elevators and the electromagnetic catapult system. |
| Action | Signed an Executive Order for resilience against electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) |
| Date of Action | March 26, 2019 |
| Purpose of Action | To build resilience and protect against EMPs, which can disrupt and damage technology and critical infrastructure systems. |
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What You'll Learn
- Trump's comments on the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS)
- Trump's claim that magnets don't work with water
- Trump's trade dispute with China over magnets
- Trump's executive order on national resilience to Electromagnetic Pulses (EMPs)
- Trump's mention of electric catapults and magnetic elevators on aircraft carriers
Trump's comments on the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS)
In May 2017, Donald Trump criticised the US Navy's new Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), calling it a "poster child for immature technologies sent to the field too soon". EMALS is designed to remove steam from the equation and instead take power directly from the turbines. It uses a surge of electricity to generate electrical currents with strong magnetic fields that propel a carriage down the runway, which is then flung into the air while attached to an airplane.
Trump's criticism of the system came in a May 8 interview with TIME, in which he recounted a conversation with an unnamed sailor about the development issues the Navy experienced with EMALS. He said:
> "You know the catapult is quite important. So I said what is this? Sir, this is our digital catapult system. He said well, we're going to this because we wanted to keep up with modern [technology]. I said you don't use steam anymore for catapult? No sir. I said, "Ah, how is it working?" "Sir, not good. Not good. Doesn't have the power. You know the steam is just brutal. You see that sucker going and steam's going all over the place, there's planes thrown in the air." It sounded bad to me. Digital. They have digital. What is digital? And it's very complicated, you have to be Albert Einstein to figure it out. And I said–and now they want to buy more aircraft carriers. I said what system are you going to be–"Sir, we're staying with digital." I said no you're not. You going to goddamned steam, the digital costs hundreds of millions of dollars more money and it’s no good."
Trump also criticised the system while discussing wasteful military spending, saying:
> "It’s like when you get a new car and you have to be a computer genius to fix your seat. The seat’s moving all over the place, it’s unbelievable."
Trump's comments on EMALS specifically focused on its complexity and cost, with the President claiming that it didn't work properly and that the Navy should go back to using steam catapults. He also mentioned the use of magnets in the system, saying:
> "It’s a new theory. Magnets are going to lift the planes up, and it doesn’t work."
However, despite Trump's criticism, EMALS is fully functional and has been in use on the USS Ford, with the ship launching and catching planes regularly.
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Trump's claim that magnets don't work with water
During a rally in Mason City, Iowa, former US President Donald Trump made comments about magnets and water that prompted mockery online. Trump's comments centred around the Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, which has an electromagnetic aircraft launch system that relies on very large magnets. In his speech, Trump claimed:
> "They had a $900 million cost over on these stupid electric catapults that didn't work. They had almost a billion-dollar cost over on the magnetic elevators. Think of it, magnets. Now all I know about magnets is this: Give me a glass of water, let me drop it on the magnets, that's the end of the magnets. Why didn't they use John Deere? Why didn't they bring in the John Deere people? Do you like John Deere? I like John Deere."
Trump's comments are factually inaccurate. Magnets do not cease to function when submerged in water. While magnets can lose some of their magnetic strength due to rust caused by prolonged exposure to water, they certainly do not stop working upon contact with it.
Trump's comments about magnets and water are not an isolated incident. On multiple occasions, he has expressed his doubts about the functionality of magnets in the Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier's electromagnetic catapult system. In a July 2021 interview with a Princeton professor, he stated:
> "They want to use magnets to lift up the elevators. I said magnets will not work. Give me a cup of water, throw it on the magnets, you totally short out the system. They said, 'How did you know that?' I said, 'Because I know that.' "
Trump's fixation with magnets and his claim that they don't work with water have been met with ridicule and criticism. Many have questioned his understanding of magnets and science, with some suggesting that his comments add to a list of bizarre remarks.
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Trump's trade dispute with China over magnets
In August 2025, former US President Donald Trump threatened to impose a 200% tariff on China if it curbed exports of rare-earth magnets. This was amid a trade dispute between the two countries. China controls about 90% of the global supply of rare-earth magnets and has a similar hold over the refining of the minerals. These magnets are crucial for the US manufacturing sector, especially in automotive, electronics, and renewable energy.
Trump's comments came as China's exports of rare-earth magnets had recovered to pre-curb levels. Magnet shipments to the US surged by 660% in June from the previous month and rose by 76% in July. The former president said:
> They have to give us magnets, if they don't give us magnets, then we have to charge them 200% tariffs or something.
Trump also claimed that China had gained a monopoly over the world's magnets:
> China intelligently went in and they sort of took a monopoly of the world's magnets. Nobody needed magnets until they convinced everybody 20 years ago, 'let's all do magnets.'
Trump's remarks were likely referring to China's leadership in sustainable energy production, which contrasts with his commitment to fossil fuels. The former president also alluded to the trade war between the two countries, stating that he had sent Boeing parts to China so that their planes could fly.
Trump's comments about magnets may also be related to his previous statements on the US Navy's Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS). He had criticised the system, stating that it relied on magnets instead of hydraulics and did not work.
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Trump's executive order on national resilience to Electromagnetic Pulses (EMPs)
On March 26, 2019, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order (E.O.) to establish the first-ever comprehensive whole-of-government policy to build resilience and protect against electromagnetic pulses (EMPs). These pulses are temporary electromagnetic signals that can "'disrupt, degrade, and damage technology and critical infrastructure systems" across large areas.
The order, "Coordinating National Resilience to Electromagnetic Pulses", calls for integrated action by a wide range of federal agencies to address the threat of natural or malicious EMP events. EMP threats can come in two forms: high-altitude nuclear detonations and natural geomagnetic disturbances, such as solar flares.
The E.O. directs action in five areas:
- Identify national critical functions and associated priority critical infrastructure at the greatest risk from EMPs.
- Improve understanding of EMP effects.
- Evaluate approaches to mitigate the effects of EMPs.
- Strengthen critical infrastructure to withstand the effects of EMPs.
- Improve the national response to EMP events.
The order also promotes government and private sector innovation, directing federal agencies to further the research and development required to build the nation's resilience to EMP events. The Secretary of State is to lead the coordination of diplomatic efforts with US allies and international partners to enhance resilience to the effects of EMPs and strengthen nuclear nonproliferation and deterrence efforts.
The Federal Government must also foster sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective approaches to improving the nation's resilience to the effects of EMPs. This includes providing warnings of impending EMPs, protecting against and responding to their effects, and preventing adversarial events through deterrence, defense, and nuclear nonproliferation efforts.
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Trump's mention of electric catapults and magnetic elevators on aircraft carriers
In a speech to the crew of the amphibious assault ship Wasp in Japan, President Donald Trump asked the crew to choose between "electric or steam" catapult systems. Trump expressed his preference for steam catapults, which have been used on carriers such as Nimitz. He also criticised the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) used on Gerald R. Ford-class carriers, stating that it was \$900 million over budget.
Trump's comments on electric catapults and magnetic elevators on aircraft carriers refer to the EMALS and Advanced Weapon Elevator systems. He questioned the reliability of these systems, claiming that electric catapults "don't work" and that magnetic elevators are susceptible to malfunction when exposed to water. He also mentioned cost overruns, stating that the Gerald Ford aircraft carrier ended up costing \$18 billion instead of the initially planned \$3 billion.
Trump's preference for steam catapults over EMALS has been a consistent theme since he entered the White House in 2017. He has criticised EMALS on multiple occasions, referring to it as a "crazy electric catapult". However, returning to steam catapults on Ford-class carriers would be challenging as they have been designed specifically for EMALS.
Trump's comments on magnets and magnetism have sparked discussions about the use of electromagnets and maglev technology in modern aircraft carrier systems. While some have questioned Trump's understanding of the technology, his comments reflect concerns about reliability and cost overruns associated with these systems.
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Frequently asked questions
Trump was referring to the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) when he said, "They have all magnetic elevators to lift up 25 planes at a time, 20 planes at a time. And instead of using hydraulic, like on tractors that can handle anything from hurricanes to lightning to anything, they use magnets." He also claimed that magnets don't function with water, stating, "Give me a cup of water, throw it on the magnets, you totally short out the system."
Yes, on March 26, 2019, Trump signed an Executive Order to build resilience and protect against electromagnetic pulses (EMPs). EMPs are temporary electromagnetic signals that can disrupt, degrade, and damage technology and critical infrastructure systems.
Trump's statement refers to China's dominance in the production of rare earth minerals and magnets. China controls roughly 90% of the world's rare earth metals, which are vital for electric vehicle motors, wind turbines, and electronics. Trump's comments were made in the context of a trade dispute between the two nations, with the U.S. imposing tariffs on China and China retaliating with export restrictions on rare earth elements and magnets.
