The estimated cost for President Donald Trump’s missile defense initiative, dubbed the Golden Dome, is projected to reach approximately $1.2 trillion over the next 20 years. This figure significantly exceeds the $175 billion estimate previously mentioned by Trump. The program, inspired by the Israeli Iron Dome, aims to defend the U.S. from various threats, including those originating from space.
Trump initiated the Golden Dome project through an executive order in January 2025, shortly after his second inauguration. He expressed confidence that the system would be operational within three years, aligning with the end of his term. The proposal echoes past defense ambitions, notably the Strategic Defense Initiative from the 1980s, which sought to utilize satellite-based lasers for missile interception.
Concerns remain regarding the efficacy of missile defense systems like the Iron Dome, which operates effectively over smaller areas compared to the continental U.S. Experts have noted challenges, such as the system's vulnerability to saturation attacks, evidenced by Hezbollah's recent barrage, where only about half of the rockets were intercepted successfully.