WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has selected Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein to lead the ambitious Golden Dome missile defense program, a massive undertaking that aims to create a comprehensive shield against advanced missile threats targeting the United States.
During an Oval Office briefing May 20, Trump — flanked by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Guetlein and Republican Senators Jim Banks (Ind.), Kevin Cramer (N.D) and Dan Sullivan (Alaska) — announced that his administration has approved an “architecture” for Golden Dome and expects the system to be completed within three years at a cost of $175 billion.
“We will truly be completing the job that President Reagan started 40 years ago, forever ending the missile threat to the American homeland,” Trump declared, referencing Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative, popularly known as “Star Wars,” which proposed similar capabilities in the 1980s but was never fully realized.
The Golden Dome program represents one of the most ambitious missile defense initiatives in U.S. history. The system aims to use a combination of space-based sensors, ground-based interceptors, and advanced command-and-control networks to detect, track, and destroy incoming missiles before they can reach targets within the United States.
Hegseth emphasized the broad scope of the program, stating that Golden Dome will “protect the homeland from cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles, drones, whether they’re conventional or nuclear.”
‘Next generation technologies’
Trump revealed that the administration has “officially selected an architecture for this state of the art system that will deploy next generation technologies across land, sea and space, including space based sensors and interceptors.” The president provided no specific details about the design but claimed it “will integrate with our existing defense capabilities and should be fully operational before the end of my term.”
“Hypersonic missiles, ballistic missiles and advanced cruise missiles, all of them will be knocked out of the air,” Trump asserted.
A down payment of $25 billion for Golden Dome was included in a Republican “reconciliation” spending bill that would add $150 billion to the Pentagon’s budget in fiscal year 2025. That bill has not yet passed Congress. Democratic lawmakers have voiced opposition to the project, citing concerns over its massive price tag and warnings that such a comprehensive missile shield could trigger an arms race and escalate global tensions.
Trump mentioned that Canada has expressed interest in collaborating with the U.S. on the Golden Dome initiative.
Banks highlighted the economic benefits of the program for his constituents, noting that Golden Dome “is going to be very good for the defense industry in my state.” Satellite sensor payloads for the missile defense system will be manufactured by L3Harris Technologies in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Guetlein’s experience
In selecting Guetlein as the program manager, Trump praised the general’s “unmatched background in missile warning technology and defense procurement” and said he “also knows that we need to move fast. No one is more qualified for his job.”
Guetlein currently serves as the Space Force’s second in command as vice chief of space operations. He previously commanded the Space Systems Command, where he was responsible for developing and acquiring satellites, launch services and other major systems.
His resume includes service as deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office and as Program Executive for Programs and Integration at the Missile Defense Agency before transitioning from the U.S. Air Force to the Space Force.
In recent years, Guetlein has been a vocal advocate for integrating artificial intelligence, machine learning, and commercial technologies into national security strategies—expertise that will be crucial for coordinating the complex technological systems required for Golden Dome.
Guetlein compared the scale of Golden Dome to the Manhattan Project, underscoring the national mobilization and cross-agency integration required for success. He has identified that the biggest challenge for the program will likely be organizational behavior and culture — specifically, integrating disparate agencies and overcoming bureaucratic barriers within the defense establishment.
