US President Donald Trump has announced a vast missile defense initiative called the ‘Golden Dome’, aiming to position weapons in space within three years. The system, estimated to cost $175 billion, would focus on neutralising threats from Russia and China.
President Donald Trump has outlined a new missile defense strategy, declaring plans to launch a space-based system named the Golden Dome. Described as a multi-layered shield, it would combine terrestrial and orbital components to intercept missiles at every stage of flight.
The plan was announced during a briefing in the Oval Office, where Trump stated that the system could be completed before the end of his term in 2029. The proposed project marks a significant shift in the US’s defensive posture, notably prioritising threats from peer powers rather than rogue states.
A Space-Based Shield Against Global Threats
The Golden Dome would be the first official US missile defense network to incorporate weapons in space. Its structure includes interceptors placed in orbit, supported by existing ground-based systems.
The concept, according to Trump, is intended to address advanced missile capabilities developed by China and Russia, including hypersonic and orbital re-entry missiles.
General Michael Guetlein, Vice Chief of Space Operations, has been appointed to lead the initiative.
He warned that “our adversaries have been quickly modernising their nuclear forces,” citing developments such as Russia’s alleged nuclear space weapon and China’s hypersonic glide vehicles. The White House has proposed an initial $25 billion in funding, tied to a new tax bill currently under Congressional review.
According to the Congressional Budget Office, the full constellation of space-based interceptors alone could cost between $161 billion and $542 billion over 20 years. The cost variability depends on the number and scale of orbital interceptors required to counter potential strikes from both Russia and China.
Political, Legal and Strategic Implications
Trump first referred to the system as an “Iron Dome”, a nod to Israel’s missile defense technology, before rebranding it earlier this year. Unlike previous US strategies centred on deterrence and counterstrikes, Golden Dome would aim for pre-emptive interception—targeting missiles even before launch if possible.
The project has raised legal and geopolitical questions. The 1967 Outer Space Treaty, to which the US, China and Russia are signatories, prohibits placing nuclear weapons or weapons of mass destruction in orbit.
While the White House has not disclosed the technical specifications of the interceptors, the Chinese and Russian governments issued a joint statement describing the project as “deeply destabilizing” and warned it could turn space into a militarised zone.
The Pentagon has yet to finalise operational requirements. According to a US official, Northern Command and the Department of Defense are still drafting the system’s capabilities document. For now, the initiative remains in its conceptual phase, pending Congressional approval and inter-agency alignment.
