Image: Northrop Grumman
The US government wants to replicate Harry Potter & co.âs ability to create a forcefieldâbut instead of Hogwarts, it would cover the entire continental US.
President Trump yesterday unveiled plans for a Golden Dome missile defense shield, which would detect, track, and potentially intercept incoming missiles, including nuclear weapons. If realized, it would mark the first time that the US put weapons in space.
Some say yesâŚTrump admin officials say the US needs to shift its missile defense policy away from its current focus on shooting down a handful of slower missiles shot by rogue states like North Korea or Iran, and towards adversaries like Russia and China who have major stockpiles and advanced hypersonic/ICBM technology (including missiles that can travel from Moscow to New York in ~30 minutes). And since both countries are either increasingly issuing nuclear threats (Russia), or rapidly and vastly expanding their nuclear arsenal (China), the US should proactively defend itself.
Others say noâŚCritics of the Golden Dome express doubts about the plausibilityâand immense costâof providing full missile coverage for the entire continental US. They also argue the Golden Dome is unnecessary, since the US military has already invested in protection from any potential incoming missiles via radars and ground-based interceptors.
Big picture: President Trump has said the project would cost $175 billion (an initial $25 billion is set aside in his âbig, beautiful billâ)âwhile a separate estimate from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office pegged the cost at up to $542 billion over the next 20 years to build and maintain (though that figure could fall as launch costs improve).
Looking aheadâŚTrump has set what analysts are calling an ambitious target of having the Golden Dome operational before his second term ends.
đ Flash poll: In general, do you support President Trumpâs plan to construct a Golden Dome missile defense system?
đď¸ Moodyâs on Friday downgraded the US sovereign credit rating from the highest possible mark, citing concerns about America's growing ~$36 trillion national debt and the associated interest costs, which are projected to become the single biggest line item in the federal budget by 2051.
âď¸ The Supreme Court heard arguments yesterday in a case seeking to limit the ability of federal district judges to issue nationwide injunctionsâor orders that block presidential policies from taking effect across the US while courts hash out whether theyâre legal.
đ President Trumpâs decision to accept a ~$400 million luxury plane from the Qatari government has raised concernsâa debate that comes as Trump officially embarked on a trip to the Middle East to sign economic deals.
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