This contentious program is met with both political scrutiny and budgetary challenges.

What is the Golden Dome, and how will it work

Trump remarked, “Ronald Reagan envisioned it long ago, but the technology was lacking,” alluding to Reagan’s proposed space-based missile defense system, commonly known as “Star Wars.”

When will the Golden Dome be completed?

According to Tom Karako from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, “The new information brings the cost to [US]$175 billion [$271 billion], but the timeline is uncertain. It’s likely over a span of 10 years.”

The Congressional Budget Office this month estimated the Golden Dome could cost as much as US$831 billion ($1,290 billion) over two decades.

Why does the US need a missile defence system?

The US faces various missile threats from adversaries, but they differ significantly from the short-range weapons that Israel’s Iron Dome is designed to counter.