Washington – US President Donald Trump on Tuesday unveiled plans for a new missile defense system named “Golden Dome” to protect the country from missile threats, including those launched from across the globe or even space. Trump said the system is expected to be operational within three years and announced an initial funding of $25 billion, with the total cost estimated at around $175 billion.
“In the campaign I promised the American people I would build a cutting-edge missile defense shield. Today I am pleased to announce we have officially selected architecture for this state-of-the-art system,” Trump said at the White House.
He said the Golden Dome would be capable of intercepting missiles regardless of where they are launched from. The system will deploy advanced technology across land, sea, and space, including space-based sensors and interceptors.
US Space Force General Michael Guetlein will lead the initiative. Trump said that Canada has expressed interest in participating in the project.
While Trump pegged the cost at $175 billion, a Congressional Budget Office estimate placed the price of space-based interceptors for countering a limited number of intercontinental ballistic missiles between $161 billion and $542 billion over two decades.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who joined Trump for the announcement, said the system is aimed at protecting the US from cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles, and drones, whether conventional or nuclear.
The name Golden Dome draws inspiration from Israel’s Iron Dome, a missile defense system that has successfully intercepted thousands of short-range rockets since its deployment in 2011. Unlike the Iron Dome, the Golden Dome targets long-range and space-based threats.
The 2022 Missile Defense Review warned of growing missile threats from Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran. It also highlighted the increasing use of drones by non-state actors in conflict zones, such as Ukraine and the Middle East.
Earlier this month, Russia and China criticized the Golden Dome plan as “deeply destabilizing,” arguing it could militarize outer space and turn it into a battlefield. The Kremlin said the plan significantly enhances the US arsenal for space-based combat operations.
The US has gained experience in missile and drone defense through deployments in Ukraine, support to Israel during attacks from Iran, and operations against Houthi-launched projectiles in the Red Sea.