President Trump's proposed Golden Dome missile defense system faces significant cost uncertainties. While the White House initially estimated $175 billion over three years, a new study suggests this is drastically insufficient. Estimates range from $252 billion for a limited system to a staggering $3.6 trillion for a comprehensive shield. The project's complexity and lack of defined specifications contribute to the wide cost discrepancies. Even with reduced launch costs, deploying space-based interceptors alone could cost hundreds of billions of dollars.

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.