Donald Trump Unveils $175 Billion ‘Golden Dome’ Missile Defense Shield, Appoints Project Leader

Mar-a-Lago, FL — May 21, 2025

Former U.S. President Donald J. Trump has unveiled an ambitious national defense initiative dubbed the “Golden Dome”, a sweeping $175 billion missile defense shield aimed at safeguarding the United States against modern airborne threats, including hypersonic missiles and drone swarms.

Speaking at a high-profile event at Mar-a-Lago, Trump described the Golden Dome as “the most advanced missile defense system the world has ever seen,” promising that it would be “America’s unbreakable shield.”

“This will be a historic project — bigger than anything we’ve seen since the Apollo program,” Trump told a crowd of supporters and defense contractors. “It’s going to protect every American city. We will make America impenetrable.”

A New Era in Missile Defense

The project, which Trump said will be led by retired Air Force General Robert Langston, marks a dramatic escalation in defense ambitions. Langston, a decorated military strategist with decades of experience in aerospace systems, will serve as the chief architect of the initiative. Trump praised him as “a true American warrior and visionary.”

“This is not just a military project,” Langston said during brief remarks. “It’s a technological leap forward, combining cutting-edge radar systems, artificial intelligence, and next-generation interceptors. We’re building a dome — but not of steel, of science and security.”

While details remain classified, sources familiar with the program say it will involve a layered network of land-based and orbital defense systems, drawing lessons from Israel’s Iron Dome while scaling for broader and more complex threats.

Funding and Skepticism

The $175 billion price tag is expected to be a major flashpoint in Washington, especially with growing concerns over federal spending. Trump, however, brushed off criticism, saying the cost is a “fraction of what a major attack would cost in lives and damage.”

Critics were quick to question the feasibility of the program. Defense experts cautioned that no missile shield is foolproof and that past U.S. attempts at similar projects, including the Strategic Defense Initiative in the 1980s, faced insurmountable technical challenges.

Still, Trump’s allies are hailing the Golden Dome as a bold vision for American security. “It’s time we stop playing defense and start building it,” said Rep. Maria Collins (R-TX). “This could be the legacy of a new era in American safety.”