President Donald Trump on Tuesday formally unveiled his administration’s ambitious plans for a new national missile defense shield, dubbed the “Golden Dome”, during a press briefing in the Oval Office. Standing alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Trump described the planned system as a next-generation, land-sea-space integrated missile defense platform that will provide round-the-clock protection against a growing array of foreign threats.
“Today, I’m pleased to announce that we have officially selected an architecture for this state-of-the-art system,” Trump said. “It will deploy next-generation technologies across land, sea and space, including space-based sensors and interceptors.”
The president, whose administration has long sought to develop a U.S. equivalent to Israel’s Iron Dome, emphasized that the “Golden Dome” would surpass any existing missile defense systems in scale and technological sophistication. He also noted that Canada had expressed interest in joining the project, reflecting growing North American cooperation in defense innovation.
Trump Administration $25 Billion Initial Funding Package in Republican Budget Talks
Trump revealed that an initial $25 billion for the Golden Dome will be included in the budget package currently under negotiation by Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill. While Congress has yet to authorize any funding for the system, the president expressed confidence that securing approval would be straightforward.
“I think it’ll be easy to fund on Capitol Hill,” Trump told reporters, signaling his belief that bipartisan support can be rallied in the name of national security. The full cost of the system is projected to reach $175 billion or more, depending on technological adjustments and scale.
The president indicated that the missile shield would be deployed across multiple U.S. states, including Alaska, Florida, Georgia, and Indiana, and involve several leading, yet-to-be-selected, American defense and technology firms. The goal, he said, is to have the system fully operational by the end of his second term in January 2029.
Rising Threats from China, Russia, North Korea and Iran
The announcement follows a newly declassified assessment by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) that outlines the sharp rise in missile threats facing the U.S. in the coming decade. According to the DIA, the nation is increasingly vulnerable to a broad spectrum of advanced weapons systems including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), hypersonic weapons, cruise missiles, and fractional orbital bombardment systems.
The assessment warns of rapid expansions in the missile capabilities of China, Russia, North Korea, and potentially Iran, with all adversaries expected to significantly enhance their long-range strike abilities by 2035. It concluded: “There is no part of the homeland which cannot be struck by existing ICBMs or SLBMs.”
North Korea has already demonstrated ballistic missiles capable of reaching the entire U.S., while Iran is expected to develop up to 60 ICBMs by 2035. The report also emphasizes that both Russia and China are investing heavily in boosted hypersonic weapons and cruise missile delivery systems that could overwhelm current U.S. defenses.
A Vision Rooted in Reagan’s Dream, Inspired by Israel
Trump credited former President Ronald Reagan’s 1980s vision of a strategic missile defense initiative, saying modern technological advancements now make that dream achievable.
“Ronald Reagan wanted to do it long ago, but the technology wasn’t there — not even close,” Trump told Congress in March. “But now we have the technology. It’s incredible. And other places have it. Israel has it… and the United States should have it too.”
Although modeled in part after Israel’s Iron Dome, Trump’s “Golden Dome” will feature more comprehensive coverage against not just short-range threats, but also long-range and space-based attacks. The Israeli system has proven effective against rocket barrages, but the U.S. plan envisions defending against intercontinental and orbital threats.
Trump insisted that the idea was his own and said that military leaders enthusiastically supported it once proposed. “I suggested it and they all said, ‘We love the idea, sir.’ That’s the way it’s gotta be, right?” he said.
Construction Timeline, Allies’ Involvement, and Industry Impact
The president has pledged that construction on the Golden Dome will begin swiftly, with major installations planned in key strategic states. The system will be developed in collaboration with a wide array of American defense contractors, though specific firms have yet to be publicly named.
Canadian officials have reportedly expressed interest in contributing to the project, which could expand the scope of continental defense cooperation. “We want to help Canada as we can,” Trump said, hinting at future allied collaboration.
If completed on time, the Golden Dome would become the most advanced national missile defense system ever constructed. Trump said its capabilities would allow it to “intercept missiles even if they are launched from other sides of the world and even if they are launched from space.”
The announcement marks one of the most ambitious defense initiatives of Trump’s presidency and is expected to dominate national security debates throughout the 2025 legislative year.
