On Tuesday, May 20, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he had chosen a design for the $175 billion Golden Dome missile defence shield and appointed a Space Force general to oversee the construction of the ambitious defence program that aims to thwart Russian and Chinese threats.
During a White House press conference, Mr. Trump declared that U.S. The President announced that Space Force General Michael Guetlein would serve as the principal program manager for the $175 billion project, which is generally considered to be the cornerstone of Mr. Trump’s military strategy. Mr. Trump stated from the Oval Office that Golden Dome will “protect our homeland,” adding that Canada had expressed a desire to participate.
Golden Dome, which Mr. Trump first ordered in January, intends to build a satellite network to track, detect, and possibly intercept incoming missiles. Hundreds of satellites could be launched by the shield to track and detect missiles.
Implementation of the contentious program, which will cost $175 billion, will take years due to funding uncertainty and political scrutiny. The procurement process and the participation of Trump ally Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which has become a leading contender to build important system components alongside Palantir and Anduril, have drawn criticism from Democratic lawmakers.
Israel’s land-based Iron Dome defence shield, which shields it from rockets and missiles, served as the model for the Golden Dome concept. A far larger array of surveillance satellites and an independent fleet of attacking satellites that would shoot down offensive missiles shortly after liftoff are part of Mr. Trump’s Golden Dome. The Pentagon’s endeavour to test and eventually purchase the missiles, systems, sensors, and satellites that will comprise the Golden Dome has begun with Tuesday’s announcement.
