Trump’s Golden Dome Faces $1.2T Backlash

By Staff, Agencies

Criticism is mounting across the political spectrum over the massive projected price tag of US President Donald Trump’s proposed “Golden Dome” missile shield, with scrutiny focused especially on its costly space-based interceptor system, Bloomberg reported.

According to the report, the Congressional Budget Office [CBO] estimates the space-based interceptor network alone could cost around $720 billion, relying on low-Earth orbit satellites designed to destroy missiles from space.

The initiative has already generated billions of dollars in prototype awards through the US Space Force, benefiting major defense and aerospace firms, including SpaceX, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, RTX Corporation, and Anduril Industries.

Bloomberg noted that the interceptor spacecraft envisioned under the program has not yet been built, though analysts say the initial contracts could pave the way for significantly larger defense deals in the future.

The project has drawn backlash from Democrats and libertarian conservatives alike, with Senator Jeff Merkley calling it a “massive giveaway to defense contractors,” while Cato Institute analyst Benjamin Giltner labeled it “nonsensical” and more costly than expected.

Industry executives, however, rejected the estimates, arguing the technology can be built far more cheaply, even as Pentagon officials signaled the program could be halted if costs spiral further.

Separately, Russian outlet RIA Novosti, citing the same CBO assessment, reported that the US may need nearly 7,800 interceptor satellites costing around $743 billion over 20 years just to counter 10 simultaneous missile launches.

The orbital layer alone would account for roughly 60% of the Golden Dome’s projected $1.2 trillion total cost — far above the earlier $185 billion estimate cited by US officials.

RIA Novosti reported that the Golden Dome’s space-based interceptors would target missiles during the brief boost phase after launch, requiring thousands of satellites in low-Earth orbit to maintain constant coverage.

The analysis warned that atmospheric drag would force the US to replace around 1,600 satellites annually — nearly 30,000 launches over 20 years — with each interceptor estimated to cost about $22 million.

It also projected another $187 billion for regional missile defense systems against cruise and hypersonic threats, in addition to billions more for tracking satellites, surface defenses, and system integration.