Trump announces ‘Golden Dome’ vow
(MENAFN)
President Donald Trump has formally announced the launch of a new missile defense initiative called the “Golden Dome,” a comprehensive and space-integrated system aimed at intercepting threats from anywhere on Earth – or even from space.
President Donald Trump has formally announced the launch of a new missile defense initiative called the “Golden Dome,” a comprehensive and space-integrated system aimed at intercepting threats from anywhere on Earth – or even from space.
Speaking from the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump said the $175 billion project represents a major milestone in U.S. homeland security. “The Golden Dome will link with our current defense systems and be fully operational before my term ends,” he stated. “It will be capable of neutralizing missiles launched from any location, including from orbit.”
The system will combine existing defense assets with next-generation technologies across land, sea, and space, including orbital interceptors and sensors. While Trump offered few technical details, he emphasized the U.S. leads the world in what he called “super technology.”
General Michael Guetlein, Vice Chief of Space Operations at the U.S. Space Force, will lead the project. He previously likened its scale to the World War II-era Manhattan Project. Initially conceived as an “Iron Dome for America,” the system has evolved into the broader “Golden Dome” concept, designed to defend against not just short-range rockets but also long-range, hypersonic, and orbital threats.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth noted that recent technological advances have finally made the decades-old dream of a fully functional missile shield realistic—referencing President Ronald Reagan’s abandoned “Star Wars” initiative.
Congress has already allocated $25 billion in Trump’s proposed defense budget for the project, and while it has bipartisan backing, some lawmakers and analysts remain wary. The Congressional Budget Office estimates total costs could range between $161 billion and $542 billion over 20 years.
Critics, including Russia, argue the Golden Dome is destabilizing. The Kremlin warned that the system could escalate tensions and undermine global strategic balances. Moscow previously condemned the plan as a step toward the militarization of space.
Despite such concerns, the Trump administration insists the system is necessary to protect against growing threats from nations like Russia and China, as well as unpredictable actors. A recent U.S. intelligence report highlighted efforts by adversaries to target vulnerabilities in America’s current missile defenses.
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