President Donald Trump has signed another executive order, this time ordering the construction of an American version of the Israeli Iron Dome.
The Iron Dome in Israel, which the U.S. has spent roughly $2.9 billion on, is what has allowed Israel to protect its citizens against missile barrages from its terrorist neighbors. It is a missile shield that intercepts short-range rockets, shells, and mortars using the Iron Dome batteries strategically placed across Israel, each of which has three or four launchers containing 20 interceptor missiles each.
STUDY: THE IRON DOME OF ISRAEL
The Iron Dome has achieved over 90% interception success.
Radar is being used to detect and track the rocket's trajectory, then launches an interceptor to destroy it mid-air.
It was developed after the 2006 Lebanon War and has been operational… pic.twitter.com/NdgG2kB3ms
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) September 25, 2024
After landing at Joint Base Andrews on the evening of January 27, Trump signed an executive order calling for a missile defense shield similar to the Iron Dome to be built in the United States.
Trump spoke about the plan during a Republican dinner in Florida while celebrating the confirmation of his Secretary of Defense pick, Pete Hegseth. In the speech, Trump declared that building an American Iron Dome was a top priority, demanding the “immediate” start of construction on the project.
“Pete Hegseth, who’s going to be great, by the way… I think he’s going to be fantastic. I know him very well. I think he’s going to be fantastic. He’s what we need, to immediately begin the construction of a state-of-the-art Iron Dome missile defense shield, which will be able to protect Americans,” Trump explained.
The president went on to point out that Americans “protect other countries, but we don’t protect ourselves” — which is one of many problems that conservatives have been highlighting for decades, and was likely one of the main reasons the American people elected Trump. He also referenced former President Ronald Reagan’s Cold War-era “Star Wars” system, noting that the U.S. “didn’t have the technology” to make it happen at the time.
“And now we have phenomenal technology,” he added. “You see that with Israel. So I think the United States is entitled to that. And everything will be made right here in the USA 100 percent.”
BREAKING: President Trump announces a slate of NEW Executive Orders
— Direct Defense Secretary to immediately begin the construction of an 'Iron Dome' system
— Get transgender ideology OUT of our military
— Stop service members from being indoctrinated with CRT
— Offer… pic.twitter.com/PVPe15M0DG— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) January 27, 2025
In a statement issued that same day, the State Department confirmed that an American Iron Dome is one of Hegseth’s top priorities.
“Other areas the secretary will study include reinstating troops that were pushed out because of COVID-19 vaccination mandates and developing an Iron Dome anti-missile system for the United States,” the statement read.
