The U.S.’s top adversaries, Russia, North Korea, and China, which are all nuclear-armed nations, have strongly condemned President Trump’s space-based defensive plan dubbed the ‘Golden Dome,’ calling it ‘dangerous’ and a threat to global stability. The White House has defended the initiative as a necessary measure to protect the homeland, asserting that the system, modeled after Israel’s ‘Iron Dome’ capability, will use satellites and advanced technologies to detect and intercept missile threats from any part of the world.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Maria Zakharova criticized the plan for undermining the strategic balance between offensive and defensive weapons, warning that it would ‘turn outer space into an environment for placing weapons and an arena for armed confrontation.’ Similarly, the North Korean foreign ministry, which has a close and cordial relationship with Trump during his first term, branded the initiative as an ‘outer space nuclear war scenario’ aimed at supporting U.S. ‘uni-polar domination.’ The ministry also denounced it as a ‘typical product of ‘America first,’ reflecting ‘self-righteousness, arrogance, high-handed and arbitrary practice.’
China, which has also consistently opposed the project, warned that the plan would ‘heighten the risk of turning space into a war zone and creating a space arms race,’ thereby threatening the existing international security and arms control systems. Despite these strong criticisms, the U.S. State Department has not publicly responded to the concerns raised by its adversaries. However, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has firmly rejected the claims that the plan could be perceived as an ‘offensive’ strategy, insisting that the goal is ‘protecting the homeland.’ Trump’s proposal, which is estimated to be several years away from full operational capability, underscores the growing concern among global powers about the militarization of space and its potential implications for global security.
Meanwhile, the White House maintained its stance, emphasizing that the initiative is a critical component of the U.S. national security strategy to deter potential threats. The administration’s push for the ‘Golden Dome’ system has sparked debates about the ethical and strategic implications of deploying such technology in space, with many experts warning of the risks of an arms race and the potential for conflict in an increasingly contested domain. As these nations continue to express their concerns, the international community remains divided on the effectiveness and implications of Trump’s proposal.