Trump's Decision Angers Moscow and Pyongyang

The Golden Dome will consist of four layers of protection, one in space and three on land, with a total of 11 short-range batteries spread across the continental U.S., as well as in Alaska and Hawaii.

The project presentation, titled Go Fast, Think Big! was delivered last week to about 3,000 defense contractors in Huntsville, Alabama. According to Reuters’ analysis published today, the documents reveal the extraordinary complexity of the system, which is expected to be operational by 2028, a goal set by Trump himself.

Although the cost of building the system is estimated at about $175 billion, the exact number of launchers, interceptors, ground stations, and missile bases needed has not yet been determined.

According to U.S. officials, Congress has so far approved $25 billion for the Golden Dome, while Trump’s 2026 budget proposal allocates an additional $45.3 billion.

The Golden Dome is designed as a multi-layered shield to defend U.S. territory against missile threats, modeled on Israel’s Iron Dome but on a much larger scale due to the country’s geographic size and the variety of potential threats.

According to available information, the system will integrate four layers: a space-based segment with sensors for early warning and missile tracking, with three additional ground-based layers that include interceptors, radar systems, and potentially laser weapons.

One of the most significant innovations is the planned construction of a large missile base in the U.S. Midwest, intended to deploy the latest interceptors.

Currently, the U.S. operates missile defense bases in Southern California and Alaska. A third base in the Midwest would further strengthen defenses against intercontinental ballistic missiles from nations deemed “hostile.”

The objective of the Golden Dome is to enable interception of missiles in the early phase of flight, while they are still ascending through the atmosphere, improving the chances of a successful interception.

Russia’s Reaction

Russia has previously criticized the U.S. over its Golden Dome anti-missile system, claiming it undermines strategic stability.

Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, urged Washington during a morning press conference to abandon plans to deploy weapons in space, according to the Russian news agency TASS.

Pyongyang has also condemned the project, calling it a “very dangerous” threat that could trigger a “nuclear war” in space, North Korean media reported today.

North Korea’s Foreign Ministry issued a memorandum “to inform the international community that the establishment of a new U.S. missile defense system is a dangerous ‘threatening move’ aimed at undermining the strategic security of nuclear-armed states,” according to the official KCNA news agency.