The Pentagon is reportedly now requesting tens of billions of dollars in new funding to accelerate the development and deployment of advanced missile defense systems, including a sweeping initiative championed by President Trump and dubbed the “Golden Dome.”
Senior defense officials have presented the proposal as a critical investment in national security amid rising threats from adversaries like China, Russia, North Korea and Iran.
The centerpiece of the plan is a network of next-generation space- and land-based technologies designed to detect, intercept, and neutralize a wide range of ballistic and hypersonic threats.
President Trump, speaking during a recent national security briefing, described the effort as “the most revolutionary defense project in American history,” likening the proposed shield to a “force field” that would render incoming attacks obsolete.
“This is not Reagan’s Star Wars — this is real, and it’s coming fast,” the president said. “We are going to protect our homeland like never before. Nothing gets through the Golden Dome.”
The proposed budget, expected to be presented formally to Congress later this summer, would allocate upwards of $75 billion over the next five years, defense officials say.
The funding would go toward expanding satellite surveillance networks, upgrading ground-based interceptors, and accelerating research into cutting-edge laser and directed-energy systems.
The Department of Defense is also reportedly in discussions with private-sector aerospace and defense contractors to explore rapid prototyping and deployment strategies.
The announcement comes amid growing bipartisan concern over the increasing sophistication of foreign missile programs.
U.S. intelligence has warned that China and Russia are continuing to develop maneuverable hypersonic glide vehicles, while North Korea and Iran are advancing their long-range strike capabilities.
Though congressional Republicans have largely backed the proposal, Democrats have expressed skepticism over both its cost and feasibility.
Critics point to past missile defense programs that have faced significant technical hurdles and cost overruns. Some defense analysts have also questioned whether the so-called “Golden Dome” could live up to its ambitious billing.
“Effective missile defense is critical, but we have to be realistic about what’s possible and ensure we don’t pour taxpayer dollars into an unproven concept,” said a senior Democratic aide involved in defense appropriations.
Still, Trump administration officials remain adamant that the system is achievable and necessary. As one senior Pentagon adviser put it, “We can’t afford to be caught flat-footed. The threats are real, and so is our resolve to meet them.”
Congress is expected to begin preliminary hearings on the proposal in the coming weeks.
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