- The Trump administration is reportedly turning to previous pals because it appears to develop a “golden dome” missile-defense system proposed by President Donald Trump. Though plans could change, and Elon Musk has denied that SpaceX pitched itself for the job, the administration is reportedly contemplating Anduril, Palantir, and Elon Musk’s space-technology firm to construct key elements of the system. Cofounders in any respect three firms have beforehand supported Trump, most notably Musk, who donated $288 million to Trump’s 2024 reelection marketing campaign and is a detailed advisor to the president.
President Donald Trump needs to construct a “golden dome” to guard the U.S. towards missile assaults, and his administration is reportedly looking for out some acquainted faces to assist construct it.
The so-called “golden dome” can be a missile-defense system much like Israel’s Iron Dome, and would intercept projectiles launched on the U.S. utilizing satellites. In accordance with President Trump, who gave extra particulars on the challenge Tuesday, the formidable effort is supposed to construct upon Ronald Reagan’s proposed, but by no means accomplished, SDI, or “Star Wars” system, imagined as a protection towards missile threats from the united states.
The dome might be accomplished in three years, by the top of Trump’s time period, and can value an estimated $175 billion, he claimed. But, a latest research by the Congressional Finances Workplace estimated the challenge may value $161 billion on the low finish and $542 billion on the excessive finish over twenty years.
“As soon as totally constructed, the golden dome might be able to intercepting missiles even when they’re launched from different sides of the world, and even when they’re launched from house,” Trump stated in a press convention Tuesday.
In two posts on X from April, Elon Musk denied that SpaceX was concerned with Trump’s golden dome challenge. In response to a put up selling the information reported by Reuters, Musk stated “This isn’t true.”
In an earlier put up, Musk had stated he most popular different firms take up the golden dome challenge.
“SpaceX has not tried to bid for any contract on this regard. Our robust choice can be to remain targeted on taking humanity to Mars. If the President asks us to assist on this regard, we are going to achieve this, however I hope that different firms (not SpaceX) can do that,” he wrote.
Palantir, Anduril, and SpaceX didn’t instantly reply to Fortune’s request for remark.
Though plans for the missile-defense system are in early phases and should change, the White Home is reportedly contemplating a partnership between SpaceX, Anduril, and Palantir, three firms whose cofounders have beforehand supported Trump, as frontrunners to construct key elements of the system, six sources conversant in the matter instructed Reuters.
The three firms met with Trump administration officers over the previous a number of weeks to current their proposal, which incorporates launching wherever from 400 to greater than 1,000 satellites into house to trace missiles. A further 200 assault satellites outfitted with their very own missiles or lasers can be accountable for taking down enemy projectiles, Reuters reported. SpaceX wouldn’t be straight concerned with the weaponization of the satellites, sources instructed the outlet.
SpaceX has reportedly pitched the thought of the U.S. authorities paying a subscription service for the federal government to entry the expertise, fairly than personal it, for it to be developed quicker, Reuters reported. Pentagon officers have reportedly expressed concern in regards to the thought of not proudly owning the missile protection system outright, which might be uncommon for such a big protection system.
Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, is a detailed advisor to President Trump and donated greater than 1 / 4 of a billion {dollars} to his reelection marketing campaign. Because the face of Trump’s Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE), Musk has spent the final months slashing authorities spending, with round $170 billion in financial savings made to this point, in accordance with the DOGE web site. (His unique aim was to chop $2 trillion.)
On the identical time, Musk’s firm SpaceX has made billions of {dollars} in income from authorities contracts. The house firm was awarded greater than 300 contracts price $3.8 billion final yr, the New York Occasions reported.
Musk’s function within the authorities has reportedly had an affect over the golden dome pitching course of, in accordance with one of many sources conversant in the talks.
“There’s an perspective that the nationwide safety and protection neighborhood must be delicate and deferential to Elon Musk due to his function within the authorities,” the supply instructed Reuters.
Palantir, the big-data software program firm, was cofounded by Peter Thiel, who was a serious Trump supporter throughout his first run for president in 2016, donating greater than $1 million to pro-Trump teams and serving on the president’s transition group. Whereas Thiel stepped again from his political involvement and donations in 2020 and 2024, Trump selected his protégé JD Vance as his operating mate. Palantir CEO Alex Karp describes his politics as populist-left however has beforehand supported each Republicans and Democrats in congressional elections, in accordance with OpenSecrets. He donated $360,000 to former President Joe Biden throughout his presidential marketing campaign in 2024. Karp later supported former vice chairman Kamala Harris for president.
Palmer Luckey, the founding father of Oculus (which Fb bought for $2 billion in 2014), can be cofounder of Anduril, the nation’s largest private-defense startup. Luckey has supported Trump since his first run for president in 2016. On the time, Luckey donated $10,000 to a pro-Trump political group, which he claimed led to him being fired by Fb in 2017 and being ostracized by his liberal colleagues in Silicon Valley.
In 2020 and 2024, Luckey hosted and co-hosted fundraisers to assist Trump’s marketing campaign for president, and personally donated $400,000 to his most up-to-date reelection marketing campaign, Fortune beforehand reported. The 32-year previous Anduril cofounder has been a serious supporter of Trump’s protection technique, and his firm has greater than $1 billion in army contracts, Fortune additionally reported beforehand.
This story was initially featured on Fortune.com
