President Donald Trump's unveiling of the $175 billion "Golden Dome" missile defense initiative has drawn sharp condemnation from Beijing, which warned that the system poses grave risks to global strategic stability and accelerates the militarization of outer space. Chinese officials said they are "seriously concerned" and urged Washington to abandon the program.
Speaking from the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump declared that Golden Dome would be "fully operational before the end of my term" in 2029 and claimed the system would be capable of intercepting missiles "even if they are launched from space." He likened the plan to completing President Ronald Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative, stating: "We'll truly be completing the job President Reagan started 40 years ago forever ending the missile threat to the homeland."
The Golden Dome system envisions a layered defense using both ground- and space-based assets to detect and neutralize missiles at all four stages of flight: pre-launch, boost, midcourse, and terminal phase. The Pentagon has proposed multiple development paths-categorized as medium, high, and "extra high" based on cost-that all include space-based interceptors for the first time.
Gen. Chance Saltzman, Chief of the U.S. Space Force, testified before Congress that the initiative "represent[s] new and emerging requirements for missions that have never before been accomplished by military space organizations."
The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the space-based portion of Golden Dome alone could cost up to $542 billion over the next two decades. Trump has asked Congress for an initial $25 billion appropriation as part of his broader tax proposal.
China's foreign ministry swiftly condemned the move. Spokesperson Mao Ning said at a press briefing Wednesday that the project carries "strong offensive implications" and "violates the principle of peaceful use of outer space." She added, "It will exacerbate the risk of turning outer space into a battlefield and starting an arms race, and shake the international security and arms control system."
Mao further warned that the U.S. pursuit of "absolute security" through such programs "violates the principle that the security of all countries should not be compromised and undermines global strategic balance and stability." She stated, "We urge the U.S. to give up developing and deploying the global anti-missile system at an early date and take concrete actions to enhance strategic mutual trust between major countries."
American defense officials have long cited China's and Russia's advancements in missile technologies and anti-satellite weapons as key threats requiring new countermeasures. The Space Force has emphasized that adversaries have already deployed systems capable of disrupting U.S. satellites, making a new generation of deterrence necessary.
