US Golden Dome: Former President Donald Trump has picked a design for a new missile defense system he calls the “Golden Dome.” On Tuesday, he announced that US Space Force General Michael Guetlein will lead the project.
A group of 42 Democratic lawmakers, including well-known senators like Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, and Tammy Duckworth, have written a letter to the Pentagon’s Inspector General. They asked for a full investigation. They say there might be a conflict of interest since Elon Musk is close to Trump and has a powerful role in his government. The lawmakers want to know if SpaceX is getting special treatment because of that.
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The Golden Dome system is supposed to be like Israel’s Iron Dome, but even more advanced. Trump announced the project at the White House along with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. He promised the shield would be working before he leaves office in January 2029, reports Independent UK.
While Trump says the full cost is $175 billion, the independent Congressional Budget Office doesn’t agree. The CBO thinks just the space weapons part could end up costing between $161 billion and $524 billion over the next 20 years. That’s way more than what Trump’s team says now.
Some of the biggest tech and defense companies may be picked to build key parts of the missile shield. The “custody layer,” which helps track and stop missile attacks, might be made by companies like Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Palantir (led by Alex Karp), and Anduril (founded by Palmer Luckey). These satellites would help figure out whether a missile is headed toward America or not. Reports say the first designs and plans for this satellite system would cost between $6 billion and $10 billion.
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These companies are already being seen as top choices. Musk, who gave nearly $300 million to help Trump’s campaign last year, has been talking with Defense Secretary Hegseth about working on the project.
U.S. military leaders have already said that China and Russia have developed dangerous new missile technology. That’s one reason the Pentagon believes the country needs stronger defense tools now more than ever.
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