Trump Outlines $175 Billion, Three-Year Golden Dome Plan

The Golden Dome air and missile defense system will be fully operational in two and a half to three years and cost about $175 billion to protect the U.S. homeland against a wide range of attacks by missiles, aircraft and drones, President Donald Trump said May 20.

The Oval Office announcement came after the Pentagon submitted proposals to comply with Trump’s Jan. 27 executive order to establish an “Iron Dome for America,” including space-based interceptors. The concept was later renamed the Golden Dome.

In his remarks, Trump said the system would have nearly 100% effectiveness against air and missile threats, but released few key details, including the various sensors and effectors, as well as the areas to be actively defended.

“We will truly be completing the job that President Reagan started 40 years ago, forever ending the missile threat to the American homeland, and the success rate is very close to 100%, which is incredible when you think of it. You’re shooting bullets out of the air,” Trump said.

The system is expected to include a number of sensing capabilities already in development, including the Integrated Undersea Surveillance System, over-the-horizon radars and early warning and missile tracking satellites. The effectors also will include a new layer of space-based interceptors, along with terrestrial capabilities, including the deployed Ground Based Interceptors and developmental Next Generation Interceptors and Glide Phase Interceptors. Another challenge is to integrate a disparate mix of incompatible command-and-control systems into a single platform for homeland defense.

Trump estimated the overall cost of deploying the system at $175 billion, with the first $25 billion proposed in the fiscal 2025 reconciliation bill. “That’s initial sort of deposit,” Trump said.

Trump’s estimate likely did not include operating costs. Last week, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the cost of deploying and operating the space-based layer alone for 20 years could cost more than $500 billion.

Trump named Gen. Michael Guetlein, vice chief of Space Operations, to head the Golden Dome development program. But the White House announcement did not clarify whether the initiative will be led by a new or existing program office or agency.

Canada, a member of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, has contacted the U.S. government to become involved in the Golden Dome architecture, Trump said.

“We’ll be dealing with them on pricing,” Trump said. “I think it’s something that is great.”