US President Donald Trump has announced a $175 billion (€154bn) missile defence plan known as the "Golden Dome." He claimed the system could be “fully operational” by the end of his current term.

Trump announced the plan on Tuesday, about four months after he signed an executive order directing the Pentagon to create a strategy to protect the US from “catastrophic” aerial attacks.

Trump said the Golden Dome would use “next-generation” technologies. These would include space-based sensors and interceptors. He claimed the system, once fully built, would have the ability to intercept missiles launched from anywhere in the world — even from space. He noted that the idea is inspired by Israel’s “Iron Dome,” which was established in 2011 to defend against missile and rocket attacks.

Experts have already raised questions about the cost and feasibility of building a similar system in the US. They pointed out that the US is more than 400 times the size of Israel, making comprehensive defence far more challenging.

Some analysts estimate the real cost could exceed $175 billion (€154bn), and the timeline could stretch beyond four years.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, the space-based components alone could cost $542 billion (€479bn) over the next 20 years. Trump has asked Congress for an initial $25 billion (€22bn) to fund the program. This request is part of a proposed tax break bill that lawmakers are currently reviewing.

In the Oval Office on Tuesday, with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth by his side, Trump praised the Golden Dome plan. He said it has been a top priority since his return to the White House.

Trump announced that General Michael Guetlein, the Vice Chief of Space Operations, would oversee the project and manage its progress. He added that Canada has expressed interest in taking part in the initiative.

In a joint statement earlier this month, China and Russia called the Golden Dome “deeply destabilising in nature.” They warned the project would turn “outer space into an environment for placing weapons and an arena for armed confrontation.”