May 13, 2026 1:08 AM
US budget watchdog estimates Golden Dome will cost $1.2 trillion, dwarfing Pentagon’s $185 billion estimate
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated on Tuesday that U.S. President Donald Trump's Golden Dome missile defense shield could cost approximately $1.2 trillion to develop, deploy and operate over 20 years, a figure that dwarfs an $185 billion price tag offered by the program's Pentagon director. Golden Dome envisions expanding ground‑based defenses such as interceptor missiles, sensors and command‑and‑control systems while adding space‑based elements meant to detect, tr...