The US Department of Defense is trying to develop a “Golden Dome” defense system that would protect the country from long-range missile attacks. This is being done at the request of President Donald Trump.
This is reported by CNN, citing its sources.
According to the publication, the Golden Dome is an attempt by the Trump administration to rebrand future missile defense systems like Israelʼs Iron Dome. White House sources say the president "will spare no expense" on this development. At the same time, the Pentagon, on the contrary, wants to cut the budget.
The Trump administration has ordered military officials to determine funding for the future Golden Dome for 2026-2030. However, sources say that this system is currently just an idea that is still in the discussion stage.
That makes it nearly impossible to predict the cost. The construction and maintenance of the Golden Dome is likely to cost billions of dollars, CNN writes.
Trump has repeatedly insisted that Washington needs a missile defense program similar to Israelʼs, but there are significant differences between it and future American development.
Israel’s Iron Dome selectively protects cities from short-range threats. At the same time, Trump wants a space-based missile defense system capable of protecting the entire US territory from ballistic and hypersonic missiles.
During the first week after his inauguration, the American president issued an order obliging Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth to present a plan for the development and implementation of the Golden Dome by March 28. A senior US Defense Department official assured that work is already underway, the publication adds.
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