CBO: Trump's Golden Dome missile defense could cost $1.2 trillion

President Donald Trump's proposed Golden Dome missile defense system could cost $1.2 trillion over 20 years, according to a new analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The estimate, released Tuesday, far exceeds the $175 billion price tag initially suggested by the Trump administration. The Golden Dome, inspired by Israel's Iron Dome, aims to defend the U.S. against ballistic, cruise, and hypersonic missile threats using a layered system of ground, air, and space-based sensors. The CBO's analysis outlines a four-layer defense system, including a space-based interceptor layer, two wide-area surface layers, and a regional surface layer. The space-based component alone accounts for 70% of acquisition costs and 60% of total costs, involving a constellation of 7,800 satellites capable of intercepting multiple simultaneous missile launches. Congress has already approved $24 billion for the initiative, with the Trump administration aiming for full operational capability by January 2029. The CBO notes that the estimate is based on a 'notional architecture' due to limited public details about the Defense Department's strategy.