Trump's Golden Dome missile shield marks one year with little progress

One year after its launch, U.S. President Donald Trump's Golden Dome missile-defense initiative has made little visible progress, bogged down by technical disputes and concerns over space-based components that have delayed the release of billions of dollars and stalled one of his most ambitious national security projects.



The executive order establishing Golden Dome, signed on January 27, 2025, set an aggressive timetable to field a comprehensive homeland missile-defense system by 2028. A year later, however, the program has yet to spend much of the $25 billion appropriated last ‌summer, as officials continue to debate fundamental elements of its space-based architecture.



According to two U.S. officials, work to finalize the architecture of the missile defense shield is still underway, and large-scale execution of funds has not begun. The money is available, the officials said, and significant amounts could be released in the coming days once key decisions are made.



"The Golden Dome office continues to meet the goals outlined in Executive Order," a Pentagon official said in response to Reuters' questions.