- Trump's proposed Golden Dome missile defense system is projected to cost $1.2 trillion over two decades, according to a Congressional Budget Office report, far exceeding the initial $175 billion estimate.
- Unveiled in an executive order on Jan. 27, 2025, the space-based system aims to defend against foreign aerial attacks and is slated to be fully operational by January 2029.
- The CBO's estimate covers personnel, research and development, maintenance, upgrades, and space-based interceptors, acknowledging that the administration has provided limited specific details.
- Despite $24 billion in congressional approval, reports indicate the project has barely commenced, partly due to withheld funds and industry reluctance to invest in a complex undertaking with an uncertain future.
- The administration's recent request for a $1.5 trillion Pentagon budget for 2027, the largest in history, includes funding allocated for the Golden Dome technology.
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