Why American observers could understand Britain's naval buildup

Would American press alarm about British battleships persuade Congress to fund a response?

Not necessarily. The widely understood Anglo-German naval race gave Britain a clear explanation for its construction.

The objection is that American newspapers could present a larger British battleship as a threat aimed at the United States. The counterargument depends on the international setting: the Anglo-German naval race was widely understood. British construction could therefore be explained as a response to Germany. That context offered political cover, although it did not settle every possible congressional reaction to a new design.