A portrait of the American flag in front of a poster of the Golden Dome missile defense program in Toronto, Canada, on May 23, 2025. The Golden Dome is the missile defense system favored by the Trump administration. (Shutterstock/Bella1105) 

Why the Golden Dome Is Essential for Homeland Defense

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The proposed, multi-layered missile defense system is the best way to restore strategic deterrence through deterrence by denial.

Recent reporting last week suggests that the Golden Dome missile defense system will cost more than $1 trillion and that its utility is questionable. Both positions are inaccurate. Recent cost estimates do not reflect the actual planned architecture of Golden Dome’s program office. The argument that Golden Dome will compromise nuclear deterrence and thereby erode strategic stability does not fully appreciate the extraordinary new threats to the homeland that have been created not just by drones—but even more importantly—by ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missile systems capable of carrying non-nuclear payloads to critical infrastructure and targets in the United States. 

Strategic stability is eroding. The risk of deterrence failure is growing daily. Two oceans and friendly nations to the north and south no longer provide what was once considered a North American sanctuary. Our country faces daily attacks in the cyber domain and information space, often aimed at fanning the flames of internal discord. While drones are receiving much of the attention today, China, Russia, and others, such as North Korea, have relentlessly fielded, as well, highly capable ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles. They can carry both conventional and nuclear payloads. 

These weapons can be delivered from space, air, land, sea, and sub-sea. They can hold the North American homeland at risk, along with those of European and Asian allies. Even rogue actors such as the Houthis are fielding capable conventional missiles thanks to Iran. For decades, Washington almost exclusively relied on nuclear retaliation to deter........

© The National Interest