Fuel, not battleship speed, limited pursuit after Midway

Could U.S. carriers have pursued the Japanese fleet after Midway if fast battleships had been present?

Possibly, but only with much more fuel support; logistics constrained the pursuit more than the lack of fast battleships.

A surface escort can expand tactical options while simultaneously worsening the operational constraint. Fast battleships might have supported a pursuit, but their fuel demand would have required a much larger tanker and replenishment plan. At Midway, fuel endurance mattered more than the absence of fast capital ships.