Trump unveils $175 billion 'Golden Dome' missile shield
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US President Donald Trump launches a $175 billion "Golden Dome" missile defense plan to counter global threats; Russia and China warn of the militarization of space and the destabilization of strategic balance.
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United States President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, on May 20, 2025, in Washington. (AP)
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday unveiled new details about a vast missile defense initiative known as the "Golden Dome", a multibillion-dollar project that he claims will provide comprehensive protection against global and space-based missile threats.
Speaking from the White House, Trump said the United States has “officially selected the architecture” for what he described as a state-of-the-art defense system, with an initial funding allocation of $25 billion and an eventual projected cost of $175 billion.
“In the campaign I promised the American people I would build a cutting-edge missile defense shield,” Trump said. “Once fully constructed, the Golden Dome will be capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from the other side of the world, and even if they are launched from space.”
The system will be led by US Space Force General Michael Guetlein and will incorporate land, sea, and space-based technologies, including interceptors and advanced sensors. Trump also noted that Canada has expressed interest in joining the initiative, saying that “they want to have protection also.”
Despite Trump’s assurances, the Congressional Budget Office previously estimated that a more limited space-based missile shield could cost between $161 billion and $542 billion over two decades.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, appearing alongside Trump, said the Golden Dome will address a range of threats, from intercontinental ballistic missiles to hypersonic weapons, drones, and conventional or nuclear-tipped cruise missiles.
Read more: Space X's role in Golden Dome project sparks Democrat-led probe
Strategic concerns from Moscow, Beijing
The project has sparked condemnation from Russia and China, who warn it risks triggering a new arms race and militarizing outer space.
“The Golden Dome explicitly provides for a significant strengthening of the arsenal for conducting combat operations in space,” the Kremlin said in a statement issued earlier this month following high-level consultations with Chinese officials. Both countries labeled the US plan as “deeply destabilizing.”
The project's name appears to echo "Israel's" Iron Dome system, which is employed to intercept short-range projectiles and drones, though the scale and aims of the American version are significantly broader.
The US Missile Defense Review has identified growing threats from multiple fronts, pointing to China’s rapid advancements in hypersonic and ballistic missile technology, as well as Russia’s ongoing modernization of its strategic arsenal. The document also highlighted the expanding role of drones and the missile capabilities of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Iran, and non-state actors.
Read more: China unveils drone mothership capable of swarm attacks
