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Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Experts reveal challenge to Trump's Canada-funded 'Golden Dome'
When President Donald Trump first rolled out his plan for a new 'Golden Dome' to 'protect our homeland' he described it as a space age shield against growing threats. 'Ronald Reagan wanted it many years ago, but they didn't have the technology,' Trump said at the time, invoking Reagan's 'Strategic Defense Initiative or ' Star Wars ' missile defense system. He even told Canada the tab would be $61 billion if they wanted in on the project. Now, as Trump shuttles through meetings with G7 partners including Canada, some defense experts are questioning the origins of the plan and whether it can provide the security Trump claims. 'Trump thinks its cool. That's what's driving it,' Justin Logan , Director of Defense and Foreign Policy Studies at the libertarian Cato Institute told the Daily Mail. 'To me, the whole thing was undercooked,' he said. The idea, at a time when global powers like China and Russia are developing hypersonic missiles while 'rogue' states refine their own missile programs, is to use a network of space satellites and ground-based sensors to identify and blow up incoming threats to the U.S. It's a concept with considerable appeal at a time when Iran is lobbing missiles at Israel in response to a bombing campaign targeting their nuclear facilities and military leaders. But key elements of the satellite role are already coming into question, following a report that SpaceX head Elon Musk's role is now in doubt. Amid Trump's epic feud with the world's richest man, planners are now looking at a 'new framework' which would scrap the need for Musk's network of orbiting satellites. Instead the plan would be to focus on 'existing ground systems for missile defense instead,' according to one report. Musk's company had been expected to play a vital role in launching space sensors and even armed satellites that could play a role in defense. 'The Trump Administration is committed to a rigorous review process for all bids and contracts, prioritizing the best deal for America and leveraging the most advanced and innovative technology. Decisions will be made at the appropriate time, based on thorough evaluation, and will not be previewed in the press,' White House principal deputy press secretary Harrison Fields told the Daily Mail amid the uncertainty. There is already $25 billion for Golden Dome in the House tax reconciliation bill, but if Trump's 'big, beautiful' bill fails in the Senate, the program couldn't get off the ground. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is already demanding more spending cuts, as Trump seeks to win his vote. It could be a heavy lift to really get the Canadians on board for paying for it. A new poll shows more than 60 percent of Canadians are against the idea. Canada's ambassador to the UN compared Trump's call for Canadian funding to a 'protection racket.' Trump had posted: 'I told Canada , which very much wants to be part of our fabulous Golden Dome System, that it will cost $61 Billion Dollars if they remain a separate, but unequal, Nation, but will cost ZERO DOLLARS if they become our cherished 51st State. They are considering the offer!' Trump posted. 'In another context, this would (be) called a 'protection racket,' Rae said. Comparison to Isreal's 'Iron Dome' are proving inexact. Wrote Paul Meyer, an professor of international studies at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia: 'The President seems to have failed to grasp that Israel's 'Iron Dome' system (which inspired his vision) has succeeded as a result of the relatively small size of its territory that has to be defended and the relatively slow re-entry speed of the short and medium range ballistic missiles it has countered. 'These advantages would not pertain to the territory of the US (let alone North America) against intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) with re-entry speeds of 7 kilometres a second.' Joe Cirincione of the Center for International Policy called national missile defense 'the longest-running scam in the history of the Department of Defense.' And even that system is experiencing occasional 'leakage,' with comparatively slow and easier-to-track Iranian missiles breaking through defenses to cause civilian deaths. 'The idea that you're going to model something on Iron Dome that's going to protect the us from Russia and China is just not a thing,' said Logan. 'In this case, it was like, Israel has Iron Dome. It's kind of cool. We should do the Golden Dome. And then a lot of people rush to fill the gaps without specifying what 'Golden Dome' was,' he said.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Experts reveal biggest challenge to Trump's Canada-funded $175B 'Golden Dome' defense dream
When President Donald Trump first rolled out his plan for a new 'Golden Dome' to 'protect our homeland' he described it as a space age shield against growing threats. 'Ronald Reagan wanted it many years ago, but they didn't have the technology,' Trump said at the time, invoking Reagan's 'Strategic Defense Initiative or ' Star Wars ' missile defense system. He even told Canada the tab would be $61 billion if they wanted in on the project. Now, as Trump shuttles through meetings with G7 partners including Canada, some defense experts are questioning the origins of the plan and whether it can provide the security Trump claims. 'Trump thinks its cool. That's what's driving it,' Justin Logan, Director of Defense and Foreign Policy Studies at the libertarian Cato Institute told the Daily Mail. 'To me, the whole thing was undercooked,' he said. The idea, at a time when global powers like China and Russia are developing hypersonic missiles while 'rogue' states refine their own missile programs, is to use a network of space satellites and ground-based sensors to identify and blow up incoming threats to the U.S. It's a concept with considerable appeal at a time when Iran is lobbing missiles at Israel in response to a bombing campaign targeting their nuclear facilities and military leaders. But key elements of the satellite role are already coming into question, following a report that SpaceX head Elon Musk's role is now in doubt. Amid Trump's epic feud with the world's richest man, planners are now looking at a 'new framework' which would scrap the need for Musk's network of orbiting satellites. Instead the plan would be to focus on 'existing ground systems for missile defense instead,' according to one report. Musk's company had been expected to play a vital role in launching space sensors and even armed satellites that could play a role in defense. 'The Trump Administration is committed to a rigorous review process for all bids and contracts, prioritizing the best deal for America and leveraging the most advanced and innovative technology. Decisions will be made at the appropriate time, based on thorough evaluation, and will not be previewed in the press,' White House principal deputy press secretary Harrison Fields told the Daily Mail amid the uncertainty. There is already $25 billion for Golden Dome in the House tax reconciliation bill, but if Trump's 'big, beautiful' bill fails in the Senate, the program couldn't get off the ground. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is already demanding more spending cuts, as Trump seeks to win his vote. It could be a heavy lift to really get the Canadians on board for paying for it. A new poll shows more than 60 percent of Canadians are against the idea. Canada's ambassador to the UN compared Trump's call for Canadian funding to a 'protection racket.' Trump had posted: 'I told Canada, which very much wants to be part of our fabulous Golden Dome System, that it will cost $61 Billion Dollars if they remain a separate, but unequal, Nation, but will cost ZERO DOLLARS if they become our cherished 51st State. They are considering the offer!' Trump posted. 'In another context, this would (be) called a 'protection racket,' Rae said. Comparison to Isreal's 'Iron Dome' are proving inexact. Wrote Paul Meyer, an professor of international studies at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia: 'The President seems to have failed to grasp that Israel's 'Iron Dome' system (which inspired his vision) has succeeded as a result of the relatively small size of its territory that has to be defended and the relatively slow re-entry speed of the short and medium range ballistic missiles it has countered. 'These advantages would not pertain to the territory of the US (let alone North America) against intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) with re-entry speeds of 7 kilometres a second.' Joe Cirincione of the Center for International Policy called national missile defense 'the longest-running scam in the history of the Department of Defense.' And even that system is experiencing occasional 'leakage,' with comparatively slow and easier-to-track Iranian missiles breaking through defenses to cause civilian deaths. 'The idea that you're going to model something on Iron Dome that's going to protect the us from Russia and China is just not a thing,' said Logan. 'In this case, it was like, Israel has Iron Dome. It's kind of cool. We should do the Golden Dome. And then a lot of people rush to fill the gaps without specifying what 'Golden Dome' was,' he said. There are also questions about how it might alter Cold War calculations on deterrence. If foreign adversaries conclude the Americans think they are protected, it could put the US in a more aggressive posture – which could in turn motivate foreign adversaries to strike first before it is too late. In what could be a telling sign, a senior administration official sketching out priorities for the G7 summit that gets underway Monday in Kananaskis mentioned trade, minerals, migration, drugs, wildfires, international security, AI, and energy.'
Bloomberg
05-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Golden Dome Is a Chance for Superpowers to Make Space Safer
It's hardly surprising that some of the loudest objections to the Pentagon's proposed ' Golden Dome ' missile shield have come from Russia and China, who warn the system will spur a new nuclear arms race. Instead of minimizing such concerns, the US should leverage them to forge rules that will make space safer for everyone. Talks about establishing norms of behavior in space have been stalled for years at the United Nations, as Russia and China have pushed instead for a legally binding treaty banning the deployment of weapons in orbit. Golden Dome helps explain why. Traditionally, space-based missile defense has been considered destabilizing because it encourages adversaries to build up their arsenals in response, and because a truly successful shield could encourage the US to launch a nuclear first strike, confident it could deflect any counterattack.
RNZ News
01-06-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Defence Minister Judith Collins endorses Trump's Golden Dome amid contract frenzy
Defence Minister Judith Collins told a security summit in Singapore the Golden Dome was justified. Photo: AFP / RNZ US President Donald Trump's Golden Dome missile defence project has won endorsement from New Zealand. The vision is of a vast shield of sensors, missiles and even laser beams designed to take out conventional and nuclear missiles. Critics of the proposed system say it may fuel an arms race in space, and China and Russia have condemned it. But Defence Minister Judith Collins told a security summit in Singapore it was justified. "It's a defence mechanism," she said during a panel on cyber, space and undersea challenges. "I don't see it as an attack mechanism. It's a defence mechanism. "And if people did not feel they needed to defend themselves, they wouldn't waste the money on it." The chorus of major defence contractors signalling their readiness to work on the Golden Dome has been growing, joined recently by New Zealand-founded and California-based company Rocket Lab. Rocket Lab used a $460 million acquisition of the parent company of Arizona firm Geost , to state how the deal secured "core capabilities" for achieving Pentagon goals in space, "like the proposed Golden Dome". Prime (major) contractor Lockheed Martin said on its website : "This next generation defence shield will identify incoming projectiles, calculate trajectory and deploy interceptor missiles to destroy them mid-flight, safeguarding the homeland and projecting American Strength [sic]." SpaceX, controversial software innovator Palantir and drone-maker Anduril also feature in media reports and speculation about the Dome. Trump has said it would be operational by the end of his term and over the next decade cost $300 billion, but many analysts doubt the timing, while the Congressional Budget Office has estimated it could cost as much as $1.4 trillion over two decades. Lockheed called it "a Manhattan Project-scale mission". Minister Collins told the Shangri-La Dialogue that taxpayers' money was hard-fought for. "Let me tell you, we are defence ministers, we know how that feels, we have to go in every day and try to get more money. "And we're not going to do it unless there's some reason to do it. So you know, don't be aggressive in space, we won't need Golden Dome or any other sort of dome." Collins told the summit New Zealand's proportion of defence spending on emerging technology would grow, noting that tech made in New Zealand was being used in the Ukraine war. "We are going to be using some of that," she said. Tauranga company Syos makes drones that have been used in Ukraine. China, Russia and North Korea have all condemned Trump's revival of a high-tech form of the Ronald-Reagan era Star Wars missile defence plan, 400 times larger than Israel's Iron Dome. Despite this and critics' fears, defence and high-tech military-linked contractors have begun jockeying for action. "Everyone Wants a Piece of Trump's 'Golden Dome' Defense Plan," a Wall Street Journal headline said. Reuters has reported that Elon Musk's SpaceX - the most prolific satellite launcher ever - was in partnership with two tech firms that had been muscling into the defence industry to become Golden Dome frontrunners. The Times of India asked if the Dome was a shield for the US "or just to make Elon Musk richer?" One of Musk's reported partners is Anduril, a supercharged start-up that has plans for a billion-dollar military drone factory, and the other is New Zealand citizen Peter Thiel's software firm Palantir. The US Army recently tested a Palantir system called Maven for rapid targeting, saying it allowed a 20-person unit to do more than a 2000-strong unit was able to target during the 2003 Iraq war. The track record with the US Army had boosted Palantir , market analysts said. Smart targeting is envisaged as part of Golden Dome, with the Pentagon saying that by 2029 it would deploy smart sensors in space that can distinguish missile threats from clutter. Canada's Globe and Mail reported a range of stocks were benefiting from Trump's talk of the Golden Dome, noting that Palantir was now worth more than Lockheed Martin. The SpaceX link-up with tech firms reported by Reuters, is a challenge to the entrenched defence industry players like Lockheed, Northrop Grumman, Boeing and RTX (Raytheon), though these "primes" do figure in an Act introduced in February to enable Golden Dome, alongside a Trump executive order . Rocket Lab said in its media release citing the Golden Dome it was "positioning itself as disruptive prime to US national security". The Street financial news site said the Geost deal put the company that launches out of both Mahia and Virginia, "firmly in the national security conversation". America's Defence Intelligence Agency in mid-May profiled the forecast missile threat across six categories, including two hypersonics and two types of nuclear ballistic missiles. The Chatham House thinktank said the Golden Dome might suck resources from regional missile defence and cyber resilience, to go into unproven shield technology. "The plan also has potentially dangerous strategic consequences," it said. "A system that aspires to make the US invulnerable to missile attack would almost certainly be seen by its adversaries as an attempt to undermine the logic of nuclear deterrence. If Washington is perceived to be developing a shield that could one day neutralise a retaliatory nuclear strike, it risks triggering a dangerous global arms race." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Fox News
27-05-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Russia, China, North Korea condemn Trump's $175 billion Golden Dome missile shield
The U.S.'s chief adversaries, Russia, North Korea and China, all of which are nuclear-armed nations, have condemned President Donald Trump's space-based defensive plan he dubbed the "Golden Dome" as "dangerous" and a threat to global stability. The president discussed his $175 billion plan, which will use satellites and other technologies to detect and intercept a missile strike "even if they are launched from other sides of the world," Trump said last week. The defensive plan, though it is believed to be years away before being fully operational despite Trump's three-year goal mark, sparked stiff backlash from the U.S.'s top competitors, who took direct aim at what they called Trump's "arrogance." North Korea's foreign ministry, whose leader shared an uncommonly cordial relationship with Trump during his first term, called it the equivalent of an "outer space nuclear war scenario" that supports the administration's strategy for "uni-polar domination." According to local media outlets, the ministry on Tuesday said it was a "typical product of 'America first', the height of self-righteousness, arrogance, high-handed and arbitrary practice." The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News' Digital's questions regarding the reactions to the plan, intended to resemble Israel's "Iron Dome" defensive capability. But the North Korean foreign ministry claimed the defensive strategy was actually an "attempt to militarize outer space" and "preemptively attain military superiority in an all-round way." Similarly, on Tuesday, Russian foreign minister Maria Zakharova said the strategy would undermine the basis of strategic stability by creating a global missile defense system, reported Reuters. But her comments were not the first time Moscow aligned its condemnation of the "Golden Dome" as it issued a joint statement with China earlier this month after Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping met for formal talks in Russia. The duo called the plan "deeply destabilizing" and claimed it erodes the "inseparable interrelationship between strategic offensive arms and strategic defensive arms." They also argued that it would turn "outer space into an environment for placing weapons and an arena for armed confrontation." Russia has remained relatively muted in its response following Trump's Oval Office discussion on the Golden Dome, which came just two days after Trump held a two-hour phone call with Putin. But China reiterated its objection to the plan, and following Trump's announcement on it, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said last week, "The project will heighten the risk of turning space into a war zone and creating a space arms race, and shake the international security and arms control system." Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has rejected the claims that the plan could be viewed as an "offensive" strategy and told Fox News Digital, "All we care about is protecting the homeland."
