Ledger · Second term · № 252

'Golden Dome' plans in 60 days, operational in three years

Still waiting
“[paraphrase] Golden Dome will cost about $175 billion and be fully operational within three years — before the end of my term.”
Promised
, Oval Office announcement naming Gen. Michael Guetlein to lead the programme
Stated deadline
“60 days for the plan (January 2025 executive order); 'two and a half to three years' to operate” → July 19, 2025
Overdue by
1 year, 2 months as of September 22, 2026
Re-promised
2 times with a fresh deadline
Topic
Foreign policy
Era
Second term

What happened

The originating January 27, 2025 executive order gave Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth 60 days to present an architecture. Congressional Budget Office estimates put the true cost far above $175 billion and the timeline far beyond three years. No operational system exists as of September 2026.

Sources

  1. Trump announces 'Golden Dome' missile defense: three years, $175B The Hill, May 20, 2025
  2. Trump: Golden Dome will cost around $175B, be 'fully operational' in three years DefenseScoop, May 20, 2025