President Donald Trump has unveiled a massive new defense project named the Golden Dome missile defense shield. The project is projected to cost $175 billion and is designed to protect the US from missile attacks by utilizing satellites in space. Trump asserts that the system will help safeguard against threats from nations such as China and Russia.
Trump announced on Tuesday that he had selected a design for the missile defense shield and appointed a Space Force general to lead the ambitious defense program, which aims to neutralize threats.
At a White House press conference, Trump revealed that US Space Force General Michael Guetlein would serve as the lead program manager for what the president described as a $175 billion project—an endeavor widely considered a cornerstone of Trump’s military planning.
The Golden Dome will “protect our homeland,” Trump stated from the Oval Office, adding that Canada had expressed its desire to participate in the initiative.
First commissioned by Trump in January, the Golden Dome aims to establish a network of satellites capable of detecting, tracking, and potentially intercepting incoming missiles. This shield could deploy hundreds of satellites for missile detection and tracking.
With an estimated cost of $175 billion, the controversial program faces both political scrutiny and funding uncertainty, and its implementation is expected to take several years. Democratic lawmakers have raised concerns regarding the procurement process and the involvement of Trump ally Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which, alongside Palantir and Anduril, has emerged as a frontrunner to construct key components of the system.
The concept of the Golden Dome was inspired by Israel’s land-based Iron Dome defense shield, which provides protection against missiles and rockets. Trump’s Golden Dome is significantly more expansive, incorporating a vast array of surveillance satellites and a separate fleet of offensive satellites designed to shoot down hostile missiles shortly after launch.
Tuesday’s announcement initiates the Pentagon’s efforts to test and ultimately acquire the missiles, systems, sensors, and satellites that will comprise the Golden Dome.
