Trump selects $175B design for missile defense system

The Trump administration has announced an initial design for a defensive missile shield around the U.S.

In a White House press conference Tuesday, President Trump selected a $175 billion design plan for the “Golden Dome” initiative, expanding upon a previous agenda item to protect American borders. While the measure will likely face backlash and funding uncertainty, the ambitious defense project could begin construction as early as fiscal year 2027.

The missile defense system is anticipated to “intercept incoming missiles” from either the ground or from space, according to the president. The proposed system would be operated by the sixth military branch, the Space Force, which was established in 2019.

Referred to as the “Golden Dome,” the system would be expected to protect the country from foreign adversaries’ supplies of intercontinental ballistic missiles, primarily from China, Russia, North Korea and other foreign actors.

The system would utilize a network of satellites to identify foreign payloads, track the systems and potentially intercept or destroy the oncoming missile, according to initial program details.

While the construction of the system would cost approximately $25 billion, the full project would range up to $175 billion, if all goes according to the selected design. The administration anticipates the Golden Dome project would be completed by the end of January 2027.

However, federal Congressional Budget Office (CBO) officials dispute this claim, estimating the most expensive implementation strategies could total more than $540 billion.

The CBO notes that the cost of constructing a nationwide space-based interceptor missile system has decreased significantly due to a reduction in launch costs. Despite this, the advancement of adversarial military technology could drive up costs even further.

As part of the nationwide “Golden Dome” announcement, the federal government will also select Space Force General Michael Guetlein to lead the development of the missile defense system.

The Trump administration and new program lead Guetlein will now pursue funding and congressional support for the Golden Dome. Public-private partnerships, mixed fund strategies and federal support may be leveraged to provide funding for the system’s development.

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