President Donald Trump, speaking to U.S. troops at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on Thursday during his trip to the Middle East, said he has signed an order to build the nation's Golden Dome missile defense shield, and promised that all components will be made in the United States.
"It was called the Iron Dome, but I changed it to the Golden Dome," Trump said, to applause from the troops. "I thought it was a little more beautiful, it's more modern. We are going to have it. It is amazing what they do."
The project, he added, "will cost many billions of dollars, all made in the USA."
"The days of making parts all over the world, because we have wonderful partners, no, it is America first. Make it all in the USA … . By the way, America first, but we're going to take care of other countries. We're going to have plenty left over."
Earlier this week, reports indicated that Trump is considering appointing a Golden Dome "czar" for the project, a proposed missile defense shield that would protect the full continental United States that would be similar to Israel's Iron Dome system.
One week after he took office, Trump signed an executive order to direct the implementation of a shield to protect from attacks from hypersonic, ballistic, and cruise missiles, as well as other advanced attacks.
The Defense Intelligence Agency on Tuesday warned that China could, within a decade, have scores of missiles with nuclear payloads that can reach the United States in shorter flight times than with traditional missiles.
In a chart released by the agency, the DIA showed advancements in traditional missile capabilities from adversaries including China, Iran, and Russia, reported Bloomberg.
The chart showed that China could have as many as 700 nuclear-tipped ICBMs by 2035, up from 400 now. Iran's capabilities could climb to 60 by 2035, up from none now, and Russia's could grow from 350 now to 400, the information added.
The DIA's chart also showed a "Fractional Orbital Bombardment System," or FOBS, which would allow China to attack through shorter flight times and release payloads before it completes a full orbit. The agency said China could have 60 of the weapons by 2035, where it has none now, and Russia's numbers could grow from zero to 12.
Last month, congressional Republicans said they planned to introduce a $150 billion Defense package, including an initial $27 billion boost to the Golden Dome missile system.
The money would include funds to build more missile interceptors and to purchase Lockheed Martin Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) antiballistic missile batteries.
Elon Musk's SpaceX and two partners are front-runners for technology that would track incoming missiles as part of the shield program, according to Reuters.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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