U.S. President Donald Trump has announced new details and initial funding for his ‘Golden Dome’ missile shield system.
Trump on Tuesday, May 20th, announced $25 billion earmarked for the project, which he said could eventually cost a total of around $175 billion and would be operational in about three years.
“In the campaign I promised the American people I would build a cutting-edge missile defense shield,” Trump said at the White House on Tuesday. “Today I am pleased to announce we have officially selected architecture for this state-of-the-art system.”
“Once fully constructed, the Golden Dome will be capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from other sides of the world, and even if they are launched from space,” Trump said.
The plan’s Golden Dome name stems from Israel’s Iron Dome air defence system that has intercepted thousands of short-range rockets and other projectiles since it went into operation in 2011.
China hit back on Wednesday, denouncing Golden Dome as a threat to international security and accusing the United States of fuelling an arms race.
“The United States puts its own interests first and is obsessed with seeking its own absolute security, which violates the principle that no country’s security should come at the expense of others,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.
