Golden Dome Missile Defense Cost Soars

The United States — Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has estimated that Donald Trump's proposed 'Golden Dome' missile defense system could cost $1.2 trillion over the next 20 years, with over $1 trillion in acquisition costs alone. This figure is substantially higher than the administration's initial projection of $175 billion. The CBO report, released on May 12, 2026, also raised concerns about the system's effectiveness against large-scale attacks from major military powers like Russia and China, despite its potential to defend against limited threats from countries such as North Korea. The most expensive component is a space-based interceptor layer with 7,800 satellites, accounting for 70% of acquisition costs. The estimate has sparked criticism from Democrats, including Senator Jeff Merkley, who called it a 'massive giveaway to defense contractors'. The United States — The Pentagon has already awarded $3.2 billion in contracts to firms like Lockheed Martin and SpaceX for early development, intensifying debate in the United States Congress over the project's technological feasibility and cost to taxpayers.