Trump's Golden Dome Could Cost Trillions of Dollars — AP
According to a new analysis by the U.S. Congressional Budget Office, the “Golden Dome” space-based missile defense system project, initiated by Donald Trump, could cost approximately $1.2 trillion over 20 years. This significantly exceeds the program’s initial cost estimates.
The Associated Press reports on this.
The project, titled “Golden Dome for America,” was launched by executive order during the first week of the president’s term. The system was conceived as a futuristic counterpart to Israel’s “Iron Dome” and is intended to include ground-based and space-based assets to intercept missiles at all stages of flight. The president justifies the need for such protection by citing the rapid development of next-generation weapons among the United States’ main geopolitical adversaries.
The analysts’ report is based on an illustrative approach to the system’s design, as the Department of Defense has not yet provided detailed information on the exact number and characteristics of deployment sites. The space components of the system alone could cost up to $542 billion over two decades. The project’s director, Space Force General Michael A. Gethline, disputes these figures and claims that analysts are simply extrapolating the cost of outdated systems, while the program focuses on innovative affordability. Meanwhile, the project is sparking heated debate in the Senate: Democrats call it a waste of money that benefits defense contractors, while Republicans have already secured approval for the first $24 billion for the initiative.
Trump expressed hope that the “Golden Dome” would be fully operational by the end of his presidential term in January 2029. However, due to the scale of the technological challenges and the rapid rise in projected costs, meeting these deadlines remains in question. The joint U.S.-Israel war against Iran only heightens the relevance of discussions surrounding the creation of such a multi-layered defense system, despite the significant gap between initial promises and actual financial projections.
Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking to the press ahead of his visit to China, expressed his conviction that the war unleashed by Russia is in its final stages.
Earlier, on May 7, Rustem Umerov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council and head of the Ukrainian negotiating team, arrived in Miami, Florida, for talks with U.S. representatives.
In reality, Russia is not committed to a genuine end to the war with Ukraine. All so-called negotiations, including those mediated by the U.S., are merely a sham on Moscow’s part.
