President Donald Trump on Tuesday outlined the United States’ most ambitious missile defense initiative yet: the “Golden Dome” program. Described as a cutting-edge shield against foreign missile threats, the system is slated to include space-based sensors and interceptors marking the first time the U.S. would deploy weapons in space.
Standing alongside Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Trump said he had officially selected an architecture for the program, promising robust protection against hypersonic, ballistic, and advanced cruise missiles. “We will have the best system ever built,” Trump declared from the Oval Office. “Even missiles launched from the other side of the world or from space will not get through.”
General Michael Guetlein, the vice chief of space operations at the U.S. Space Force, will lead the program. The move comes just under four months after Trump signed an executive order initiating its development.
Hegseth called the plan a “game changer” and emphasized that it represents a “generational investment in the security of America and Americans.” However, key details remain under review by the Pentagon, including the system’s capabilities and operational requirements.
The announcement arrives amid growing concerns about advanced missile capabilities from adversaries such as North Korea. A recent Congressional Budget Office report estimated that the space-based portion of the system could cost as much as $542 billion over two decades, primarily due to the extensive number of satellites and interceptors needed for global coverage.
Trump, however, offered a significantly lower estimate. “It should be fully operational before the end of my term… in about three years,” he said, placing the total projected cost at $175 billion. He also confirmed a request for $25 billion in initial funding as part of a new tax cut bill currently being debated in Congress. That figure could shift as legislative negotiations continue.
According to The Associated Press, Trump was presented with three versions of the Golden Dome plan labeled “medium,” “high,” and “extra high” based on scale and cost. He reportedly selected the “high” version, which carries an initial price tag between $30 billion and $100 billion.
As the administration presses forward, the Golden Dome could redefine modern missile defense, potentially triggering a new era of space-based military infrastructure and geopolitical competition.
