Trump kicks off Golden Dome missile defense project

Defense leaders finalized the architecture for a state-of-the-art missile defense system, colloquially dubbed the Golden Dome, President Donald Trump said Tuesday. Trump gave an Oval Office update on the long-promised system alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The system will be able to intercept a variety of missiles from space and finish what President Ronald Reagan started with the Star Wars project, Trump said.

The dome will protect against hypersonic, ballistic, and cruise missiles launched from anywhere in the world, along with both conventional and nuclear drones, he added. Trump described the dome’s function as knocking bullets shot from a gun out of the air, adding that no other country has the type of technology the dome will use. Canadian leaders also wanted to join the United States and take part in the dome, Trump said.

The president also tapped four-star Space Force Gen. Michael Guetleinas to manage the dome program. Guetleinas currently serves as vice chief of space operations at the Pentagon. America’s enemies have grown very capable, and this project will ensure that future generations grow up with the same quality of life as previous generations, Guetleinas said Tuesday.

What else is known about the project's timeline and cost? Trump expects to use the $25 billion allocated for the project in the contested GOP budget bill as a down payment to begin work on the project. The dome would be fully operational by the end of his term at the latest and cost about $175 billion total, he said. All project materials will come out of the United States, Trump added.

Dig deeper: Read Josh Schumacher’s report on Trump’s executive order that kickstarted the dome’s conception.