National Times Bureau, May 20, 2025: President Donald Trump is set to announce a groundbreaking missile defense initiative called the “Golden Dome,” designed to protect the United States from modern missile threats, including hypersonic and ballistic missiles. The ambitious plan marks a historic step in U.S. defense policy, as it would deploy missile interceptors in space for the first time, enabling midcourse interception of incoming threats.
The initial cost of the Golden Dome project is estimated between $30 billion and $100 billion, with potential long-term expenses climbing to $542 billion over 20 years. The system will integrate ground-based and space-based interceptors and sensors, aiming to neutralize threats across all four stages of a missile’s flight: pre-launch, early flight, midcourse, and terminal phase.
President Trump has appointed General Michael Guetlein, Vice Chief of Space Operations, to lead the program’s development. Prominent defense and tech firms—including SpaceX, Palantir, and Anduril—are expected to compete for major contracts. SpaceX has proposed a subscription-based model for the system, which has sparked internal debate within the Pentagon regarding cost control and long-term oversight.
The plan has already drawn international criticism. Russia and China have condemned the move as “deeply destabilizing,” warning it could escalate the militarization of space. Defense experts have also raised concerns over the technical feasibility and financial sustainability of such a vast network of satellites, radars, and interceptors.
Strategists caution that deploying a comprehensive missile shield may undermine global deterrence, pushing adversaries to expand their missile arsenals in response. Despite these warnings, the Trump administration maintains that the Golden Dome is essential to secure the United States against emerging missile threats in a rapidly evolving global landscape.
If fully implemented, the Golden Dome will be the most expensive and far-reaching missile defense program in American history, solidifying space as a central frontier of U.S. national security.
