The Department of Defense welcomed President Donald Trump’s call for creating the Golden Dome for America, a next-generation missile defense shield.
In a statement, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth called the Golden Dome for America a “bold initiative” and said it “will progressively protect our nation from aerial attacks from any foe.”
Apparently, the Department of Defense has developed a draft architecture and implementation plan for a Golden Dome system. The missile defense shield will include space-based interceptors and sensors.
“The Department remains committed to providing our nation with a strong, credible deterrent and will ensure all work done on Golden Dome for America adds to and does not detract from our ability to deter nuclear and non-nuclear strategic attacks on the United States,” said Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. “Our goal is peace through strength. Golden Dome ensures that the American homeland is not left exposed while adversaries develop more advanced and lethal long-range weapons.”
The Secretary of Defense also said that the United States will continue to enhance its existing capabilities to defend the homeland and that the executive order does not represent an abandonment of existing ground, sea, and air-based kinetic defenses.
Here is the full statement from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth:
The Department of Defense (DoD) welcomes President Trump’s announcement regarding the Golden Dome for America, a next-generation missile defense shield. This bold initiative, formalized in Executive Order (EO) 14186 on January 27, 2025, represents a historic investment in American security and fulfills our duty to protect the homeland first and foremost.
The Golden Dome will progressively protect our nation from aerial attacks from any foe. Within the last four decades, our adversaries have developed more advanced and lethal long-range weapons than ever before, including ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles capable of striking the homeland with either conventional or nuclear warheads. Golden Dome is designed to leverage some past investments but will also use next-generation technology to defend against the evolving, and complex threat landscape.
In response to the President’s bold vision and clear direction, the Department has developed a draft architecture and implementation plan for a Golden Dome system of systems that will protect our homeland from a wide range of global missile threats. This historic investment builds on two of the Department of Defense’s three main objectives: rebuilding our military capability and re-establishing deterrence.
The Golden Dome builds on what have always been strengths of the United States: bold vision, innovation, and cutting-edge technology. As the President stated in the EO, the Golden Dome will include space-based interceptors and sensors. Some U.S. technology in space such as space-based sensors and air and missile defense exist today, but all of the systems comprising the Golden Dome architecture will need to be seamlessly integrated. Golden Dome will be fielded in phases, prioritizing defense where the threat is greatest.
The DoD is working with the Office of Management and Budget to develop a plan to fund recommended capabilities arising from the President’s directive, allowing sufficient time for consideration by the President before finalization of the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY 2026) Budget. We are working with Congress to secure $25B of funding in the One Big Beautiful reconciliation bill for critical capabilities necessary to ensure the protection of the U.S. homeland from the aerial threats of today and tomorrow. We look forward to continuing that work with Congress to secure funding for critical capabilities necessary in the FY26 budget request.
The United States will continue to enhance its existing capabilities to provide a thorough layered defense for its homeland. This EO does not represent an abandonment of existing ground, sea, and air-based kinetic defenses focused on missile interception in the midcourse or terminal phases of flight. Golden Dome is being designed in close coordination with NORAD, USNORTHCOM, USSPACECOM, and other DoD stakeholders to ensure full interoperability and real-time integration with our existing defense architecture.
The Department remains committed to providing our nation with a strong, credible deterrent and will ensure all work done on Golden Dome for America adds to and does not detract from our ability to deter nuclear and non-nuclear strategic attacks on the United States. Our goal is peace through strength. Golden Dome ensures that the American homeland is not left exposed while adversaries develop more advanced and lethal long-range weapons.
We thank the President for his leadership and vision in prioritizing the defense of our nation.
