May 21, 2025
Once fully constructed, the Golden Dome will be capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from other sides of the world and even if they are launched from space, and we will have the best system ever built.
President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Tuesday, announcing the government will move forward on the construction of a “Golden Dome” missile defense system intended to intercept ballistic attacks on the United States.
What To Know: President Trump unveiled plans for the multibillion-dollar project in which satellites and space-based weapons will be placed strategically to prevent ballistic attacks from reaching the United States. The Golden Dome could be operational within three years, according to Pres. Trump, with the vice chief of operations for the U.S. Space Force overseeing the project.
Why It Matters: The announcement comes amid increasing threats from countries like Russia, China and North Korea that continue to build nuclear weapons capable of reaching the United States. The Defense Intelligence Agency released an assessment last week explaining how many missiles various countries have, with numbers expected to increase in the coming years. China has about 400 intercontinental ballistic missiles, Russia has 350 and North Korea has a handful (more exact number unknown).
Funding for the Golden Dome: Pres. Trump allocated $25 billion in the federal budget as initial funding for the project as part of the budget bill Republicans in Congress will try to pass in the next few weeks. Pres. Trump said the expected costs will be $175 billion, but some say the costs could be higher. The Congressional Budget Office issued a letter to lawmakers estimating the cost of launching the equipment to be between $161 billion and $542 billion. (CBO) Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, told reporters last week that funding for the Golden Dome is “essentially a slush fund at this point,” with no detailed plan in place.
What People Are Saying: In addition to the cost, some have questioned the feasibility of the Golden Dome. In a subcommittee hearing for the House Armed Services, Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) said, “With what we know about Russia’s efforts to develop and deploy a nuclear weapon to space and their fear of U.S. missile defenses, has there been an assessment done on the likelihood or increased chance that Russia would employ such a weapon in conflict early on to take out our space-based intercept layer?” (The Hill)
Read More: Trump says U.S. has chosen plan for ‘Golden Dome’ missile defense system (The Washington Post)
by Emily Hooker, based in Texas
