Trump outlines his plan to build his powerful missile defense shield "Golden Dome."

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has revealed new details in recent hours about one of his most ambitious national defense projects: a missile shield called “Golden Dome.”

It is an apparatus designed to protect the continental United States from aerial attacks originating from anywhere in the world or even from space.

From the Oval Office, Trump announced that the system should be "fully operational" before the end of his current term in 2029.

The project is expected to cost around 175 billion dollars, of which 25 billion will be allocated initially, according to what was said.

These funds are part of the legislative package that includes tax reform and the budget law, currently under debate in Congress, where it seeks support from Republicans for approval.

"We will have it ready in three years," the president assured during a press conference where he outlined the revolutionary nature of the system.

“Once built, the ‘Golden Dome’ will be able to intercept missiles even if launched from any point in the world,” emphasized Trump during his presentation.

An unprecedented national shield

Inspired by Israel's Iron Dome, the "Golden Dome" aims to go much further.

"In terms of technology, it will be much more advanced than what exists," Trump said, according to BBC Mundo.

Unlike the Israeli system, designed to intercept short-range threats in a country comparable in size to New Jersey, the system proposed by Trump aims to cover a country 450 times larger, with capabilities to intercept ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles.

"It will intercept missiles, including those launched from the other side of the world or from space," the president stated in his address, emphasizing that the system will also "integrate with our existing defense capabilities."

Project leadership and contractors

The person in charge of overseeing the development of the system will be General Michael A. Guetlein, Vice President of Space Operations for the United States Space Force.

Guetlein stated that the system is necessary "in light of the increased capabilities that other countries have developed."

"Our adversaries have rapidly modernized their nuclear forces, building ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads and hypersonic missiles capable of striking the United States within an hour by traveling at 9,600 kilometers per hour," he added.

Among the companies already competing to be involved in the construction of the system are tech giants and defense contractors such as SpaceX, Palantir, Anduril, Lockheed Martin, L3Harris Technologies, and RTX Corp.

Skeptics and budgetary concerns

However, industry experts and former Pentagon officials have expressed serious doubts about the feasibility of the project within the proposed timeline.

Retired Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery stated to CNN that "the establishment of a ballistic missile defense system could be possible within 7 to 10 years, but even then, it will have serious limitations."

Some analysts argue that the actual cost could be much higher.

The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the system could reach $542 billion in 20 years, just for the space components of the project.

Shared security with Canada

In what seems to be a strategic move to enhance continental cooperation in defense matters, Trump revealed that Canada had called him to participate in the project.

In a statement to Reuters, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's office confirmed that Ottawa and Washington "are discussing how to negotiate a new economic and security relationship, which naturally includes the strengthening of NORAD and related initiatives such as the 'Golden Dome'."

Heritage of the Cold War

During his presentation, Trump recalled that the idea of a defensive shield had already been promoted by President Ronald Reagan in the 1980s with the so-called Strategic Defense Initiative, popularly known as "Star Wars".

However, the project was ultimately canceled at that time due to its enormous costs and technological challenges.

Now, with more advanced technology and a revised budget, Trump resumes this vision as “very important for the success and even survival of our country, as the outside world is very cruel”, he declared.

Is the "Golden Dome" feasible?

The magnitude of the project involves creating a network of hundreds of satellites capable of detecting, tracking, and intercepting missiles in the early stages of their trajectory, something that, until now, has not been technically feasible within the framework of a complete national system.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the "Golden Dome" will be useful for intercepting missiles, conventional drones, and even nuclear ones.

"There's never been anything like it," Trump stated.

The "Golden Dome" is, for many, a bold bet that could transform the defensive architecture of the United States.

For others, it is a grandiose political idea with uncertain technical and budgetary viability. Meanwhile, its construction continues to be a subject of technical, fiscal, and geopolitical debate.

Frequently Asked Questions about Trump's "Golden Dome" and Its Implications