US President Donald Trump announced that he has chosen a design for the $175 billion Golden Dome missile defense shield and appointed a Space Force general to lead this ambitious initiative aimed at countering threats from China and Russia.
Initiated by Mr. Trump in January, the program seeks to establish a network of satellites, potentially numbering in the hundreds, to detect, track, and possibly intercept incoming missiles.
During a White House press conference, Mr. Trump stated that US Space Force General Michael Guetlein would serve as the primary program manager for what is widely regarded as a cornerstone of the president’s military strategy.
Golden Dome will “protect our homeland,” Mr. Trump mentioned, adding that Canada expressed interest in participating in the initiative.
In a statement, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office indicated that discussions were underway with U.S. officials regarding a new security and economic partnership.
“These discussions naturally include strengthening NORAD and related initiatives such as the Golden Dome,” the statement continued.
Mr. Trump revealed that the defense shield, estimated to cost around $175 billion, is expected to be operational by the end of his term in January 2029, although industry analysts expressed doubt about the timeline and overall expenses.
Donald Trump unveiled the program alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
“Ronald Reagan envisioned it many years ago, but they didn’t have the technology,” Mr. Trump remarked, referencing the space-based missile defense initiative, commonly referred to as “Star Wars,” proposed by Reagan.
The Golden Dome program is facing both political scrutiny and uncertainties concerning its funding.
“The new data point is the $175 billion, but the question remains, over what period of time? It’s probably ten years,” stated Tom Karako from the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
The expertise from Silicon Valley and US software can be harnessed to accelerate advancements while integrating existing missile defense systems, he added.
This month, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that Golden Dome’s potential cost could reach as much as $831 billion over two decades.
Democrats have raised concerns regarding the procurement process and the involvement of Trump ally Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which has emerged as a frontrunner alongside Palantir and Anduril for building integral components of the system.
“The new autonomous space-age defense ecosystem is more about Silicon Valley than it is about ‘big metal,'” remarked Senator Kevin Cramer of North Dakota during the White House event.
“So what’s exciting about this is it makes it available for everyone to participate and compete.”
“Big metal” refers to traditional defense contractors.
Space Force General Michael Guetlein spoke alongside Rep Jim Banks and Donald Trump.
The inspiration for the Golden Dome concept came from Israel’s land-based Iron Dome defense system, which protects against missiles and rockets.
Mr. Trump’s Golden Dome vision is significantly more extensive, featuring a vast array of surveillance satellites and a separate fleet of attack satellites designed to intercept offensive missiles shortly after launch.
Yesterday evening’s announcement marks the beginning of the Pentagon’s initiative to test and ultimately procure the missiles, systems, sensors, and satellites that will comprise Golden Dome.
Mr. Trump stated that Alaska would play a vital role in the program, while Florida, Georgia, and Indiana would also benefit.
Many of the initial systems are expected to arise from pre-existing production lines. Participants at the press conference identified L3Harris Technologies, Lockheed Martin, and RTX Corp as potential contractors for the expansive project.
L3 has invested $150 million to expand its new facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where it manufactures the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor satellites, crucial for the Pentagon’s efforts to better detect and track hypersonic weapons using space-based sensors, which could be adapted for Golden Dome.
However, the funding for Golden Dome remains uncertain.
Republicans have proposed an initial $25 billion investment for Golden Dome as part of a broader $150 billion defense package, but this funding is contingent upon a contentious reconciliation bill facing significant obstacles in Congress.
“Unless reconciliation passes, the funds for Golden Dome may not materialize,” warned an industry executive involved with the program, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
“This jeopardizes the entire project timeline.”
The Kremlin indicated that Mr. Trump’s missile shield proposal requires dialogue with Russia but asserted that it is otherwise a “sovereign matter” for the United States, softening its previous critical stance on the plan as destabilizing.
“This is a sovereign matter for the United States. If the United States believes there is a missile threat, then it will naturally develop a missile defense system,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov explained to reporters.
“That is the course of action for all nations,” he added.
“Of course, in the foreseeable future, the events may necessitate the resumption of dialogue to restore strategic stability,” he continued, referring to broader nuclear discussions.
Mr. Peskov’s comments followed a call between Mr. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which the US leader claimed “went very well.”
Russia had earlier condemned the Golden Dome initiative, warning that it could escalate tensions in space.
This month, in a joint statement, China and Russia criticized the project as “deeply destabilizing.”
China, which has enhanced its collaboration with Russia in recent years, labeled Mr. Trump’s plans as a threat to international security this morning.
Russia and the United States maintain the world’s two most extensive arsenals of nuclear warheads.
