Trump Announces Golden Dome System (Full Remarks)

President Donald Trump vowed that a “Golden Dome” missile-defense shield should be “fully operational” by the end of his term, saying it would be able to protect the US from threats including ballistic missiles, hypersonics and advanced cruise missiles.

“We will truly be completing the job President Reagan started 40 years ago,” Trump said in the Oval Office, in reference to Ronald Reagan’s unfulfilled quest for a space-based missile defense system, widely known as “Star Wars.”

Trump’s vow is an ambitious goal given that much of the technology around a missile-defense system remains unproven, especially plans for space-based interceptors to knock down incoming ballistic missiles. Congress is seeking $25 billion to begin work on the system and Trump said it could cost $175 billion overall. Trump has selected what he called an “architecture” for the system, without specifying what that was, and said it would include “next generation technologies across the land, sea and space.” He appointed Space Force General Michael Guetlein to oversee its development, and said Canada wanted to be part of the program. Details of the plan aren’t clear but the Pentagon earlier developed draft plans for the air and missile defense system in response to Trump’s Jan. 27 executive order calling for the creation of the system. The idea has garnered intense interest from defense companies given the billions of dollars that will need to be spent to develop it.

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