The “Golden Shield”, the anti-missile defense system for the United States wanted by Donald Trump, could cost around 1.2 trillion dollars over 20 years, estimated the Congressional Budget Office on Tuesday.
In 2025, the American president had announced wanting to develop this missile shield based on the model of the Israeli “Iron Dome”, and to have it in operation before the end of his term in 2029.
Interceptor Satellites
At that time, he estimated the total cost at “about 175 billion dollars once completed.” But many experts had then pointed out an unrealistic and redundant project given the anti-missile defense systems currently possessed by the United States.
In a report published on Tuesday by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), this independent parliamentary agency estimates that a national anti-missile defense system with capabilities largely aligned with those demanded by Donald Trump “would cost around 1.2 trillion dollars to develop, deploy, and operate over 20 years.” According to the CBO, the space component of the system would represent nearly 60% of the total costs.
Like the Strategic Defense Initiative (IDS) or “Star Wars”, launched by Ronald Reagan in the 1980s, the “Golden Shield” – or “Golden Dome” – aims to position interceptor satellites in space.
The goal is to quickly destroy any intercontinental ballistic missile heading towards American territory. China and Russia strongly opposed this project by Donald Trump last year.
