Trump’s fixation on Arctic ships led to billions in no-bid contracts

The president decided to buy 11 polar icebreakers after a game of golf with Finland’s president. Experts say it’s far from clear the United States needs so many.

Late one night last August, Alexander Stubb, the president of Finland, was at his summer residence two hours west of Helsinki when his phone rang. On the other end of the line was President Trump, calling with a request.

He wanted to buy a fleet of massive ships designed to cut through Arctic ice…(Read full story)