The American president announces the appointment of a new leader for the "Golden Dome" program with a budget of 175 billion dollars.

President Donald Trump announced during a press conference held on Tuesday, May 20th, from the Oval Office, the selection of the final design for the "Golden Dome" defense program, costing $175 billion. He also appointed General Michael Guitlain from the U.S. Space Force as the project's chief director.

Trump described the program as "protecting our nation," mentioning Canada's interest in participating, although there has been no official comment from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's office so far.

This announcement marks a new step in the ambitious program aimed at countering missile threats from China and Russia.

Trump had ordered the start of work on the "Golden Dome" in January, with the project seeking to establish a space network of satellites capable of detecting, tracking, and intercepting hostile missiles. The implementation is expected to take several years amid political controversy and financial challenges.

Democratic lawmakers have expressed concerns about the project's execution, especially with the emergence of Elon Musk's company, SpaceX, a close ally of Trump, as a major contender to implement system components, along with Palantir and Anduril.

The project draws inspiration from the Israeli "Iron Dome" system but on a larger scale, including swarms of surveillance satellites and offensive satellites capable of destroying enemy missiles immediately after launch.

The Pentagon is expected to soon begin testing and supplying missiles, sensors, and satellites that will form the system's infrastructure. Trump anticipates the project's completion by the end of his term in January 2029, emphasizing that Alaska will play a pivotal role in the program.