The "Golden Dome" is a multilayered missile defense system proposed by former President Donald Trump to protect the United States from a wide range of missile threats, including long-range intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), hypersonic weapons, cruise missiles, and even missiles launched from space. It is inspired by Israel's Iron Dome system but is intended to operate on a much larger, more complex scale to defend the entire U.S. homeland. Key features of the Golden Dome include:

• Deployment of next-generation technologies across land, sea, and space.
• Integration of space-based sensors and interceptor missiles to detect and destroy incoming missiles at various flight stages: before launch, early in flight, midcourse, and terminal phase near the target.
• Use of hundreds or thousands of satellites equipped with advanced sensors and interceptors for continuous global tracking.
• An AI-powered command and control system to analyze data quickly and guide real-time defensive responses.
• Designed to counter conventional ballistic missiles, hypersonic glide vehicles, fractional orbital bombardment systems (FOBS), and cruise missile threats.

Trump claimed the system could intercept missiles even if launched from the opposite side of the globe or from space and aimed for it to be operational before the end of his presidential term in 2029. Experts say the Golden Dome represents a shift towards addressing threats from major power rivals like Russia and China, whose missile arsenals far exceed the capabilities of current U.S. missile defenses designed mainly against smaller threats like North Korea's. The project is still in the conceptual phase, and its estimated cost ranges broadly from $75 billion to over $500 billion, depending on scope and technology included. The Golden Dome is seen as an ambitious and technically complex effort requiring substantial investment in space technology, command systems, and interceptor development. It draws parallels to historic U.S. missile defense initiatives like Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative ("Star Wars") but aims to leverage more advanced and integrated technologies. Overall, the Golden Dome is a comprehensive national missile defense system planned to provide a protective shield over the U.S. using a network of satellites, ground-based interceptors, and AI-driven command centers to defend against a new generation of missile threats.