Thespace policy of the second Donald Trump administration is mainly based around theGolden Dome missile defense system, expanding thecommercial spaceflight industry, andreturning to the Moon.

President Trump's FY26 Budget prioritizes NASA human space exploration of both the Moon and Mars, focuses on high-priority scientific research, and transitions the Artemis effort to more sustainable and cost-efficient lunar missions. While the International Space Station will continue transitioning to commercially owned and operated space station in 2030, its onboard research will be on efforts critical to the exploration of the Moon and Mars.^[1]

TheOne Big Beautiful Bill Act allocated a new $10 billion forNASA. This includes $700 million for aMars Telecommunications Orbiter (a project which had initially been cancelled in July 2005); $2.6 billion for theLunar Gateway space station; $4.1 billion for the development of theSpace Launch System rockets for theArtemis IV andArtemis V missions; $20 million for the Artemis IVOrion spacecraft; $1.25 billion forInternational Space Station operations throughout 2030; $325 million for theUS Deorbit Vehicle; $1 billion for improvements at five NASA centers ($120 million forStennis, $250 million forKennedy, $300 million forJohnson, $100 million forMarshall, and $30 million forMichoud); $85 million to transfer a space vehicle to a field center that is involved in the administration of theCommercial Crew Program (aimed at movingSpace Shuttle Discovery to the Johnson Space Center).^[2]

While the One Big Beautiful Bill Act allocates almost $10 billion in additional funding for NASA through 2032 covering missions to the Moon and Mars, the White House proposed NASA's FY26 budget to be reduced by about 24%, and preparations were made in anticipation of these cuts.^[3]

On January 27, 2025, PresidentDonald Trump signed an executive order entitled "Iron Dome for America". The order tasked the Department of Defense with developing a national missile defense system to counter ballistic, hypersonic, advanced cruise missiles, and other next-generation aerial attacks.^[4][5] The initiative was renamed in February 2025 from "Golden Dome for America," becauseIron Dome is a registered trademark of Israeli defense contractor Rafael, some said.^[6] In May 2025, President Trump announced that the Golden Dome will put U.S. weapons in space within three years, at a projected cost of $175 billion, with a focus on countering potential missile threats from China and Russia.^[7] The system, with the 2028 deadline, will have four layers: one satellite-based and three land-based, with 11 short-range batteries spread across the continental U.S., Alaska, and Hawaii.^[8]

On May 20, 2025, Trump announced plans for a new space-based missile defense system called the "Golden Dome." Intended to shield the United States from long-range and hypersonic missile threats, the system draws inspiration from Israel's Iron Dome but is significantly broader in scope.^[9][10]

GeneralMichael A. Guetlein of theU.S. Space Force has been appointed to lead the initiative. A down payment of $25 billion for Golden Dome was included in a Republicanreconciliation spending bill.^[11] TheCongressional Budget Office estimated that it could cost between $161 billion and $542 billion over 20 years,^[10][12] while Republican Senators involved in the program predicted the end cost would be "trillions of dollars."^[13] General Guetlein was officially nominated as Golden Dome's direct reporting program manager in June 2025^[14] and confirmed by the Senate in July 2025.^[15] He assumed the position on July 21, 2025.^[16]

While terrestrial defenses developed, the vision of a full space-based shield remained a consistent goal for its proponents. The modern groundwork for Golden Dome was laid in 2017 by the SDI's former Deputy of Technology, and prominent Team B leader^[17],Michael D. Griffin, who formed theSpace Development Agency during thefirst Trump administration.^[18] Griffin long advocated forreusable launch vehicles to make the mass launching of weapons into space economically feasible. While the original Strategic Defense Initiative's attempts at this were short-lived, with theDC-X failing after a series of test flights, Griffin later encouraged and promoted funding of commercial reusable launch vehicles, which have since proven successful.^[19][20]

During his2024 presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly mentioned the missile shield concept, often to mixed reception.^[21]

In May 2025, four months after the beginning ofTrump's second presidency, forty-two members ofUS Congress, all Democrats, formally requested theDoD Inspector General reviewElon Musk’s involvement in Golden Dome.^[22][23]They cited concerns over deviations from standard acquisition processes and a dome subscription model that could "give Musk undue influence over national security." Another key conflict of interest involves four-star generalTerrence J. O'Shaughnessy, former head of U.S. homeland missile defense, who now reports directly to Musk at SpaceX.^[24]Michael D. Griffin, founder of theSpace Development Agency behind Golden Dome, has also faced scrutiny.^[25] After traveling to Russia with a young Musk in 2001 to studyICBMs, Griffin steered $2 billion inNASA contracts to Musk's newfound space company.^[20] SpaceX has since secured missile-tracking satellite contracts through Griffin's SDA as part of itsStarshield program. Griffin also helps lead Castelion, that seeks to mass-produce hypersonic weapons.^[26]

TheArms Control Association has noted that thePutin regime has been working to ensure it can overcome the threat of a future U.S. space-based interceptor network by developinganti-satellite weapons.Beijing, meanwhile, may respond by increasing its nuclear-armed ballistic missile force.^[27]

Article I of theOuter Space Treaty states that space is "the province of all mankind" and forbids placing weapons of mass destruction in orbit. Some permanent members of theUnited Nations Security Council have expressed objections to the Golden Dome program, citing inconsistencies with this principle. The program's use of space for attacking targets on the ground (“left of launch” preemptive strike capabilities)^[28] has led to discussion over the legality under international law.^[29][30][31]

In August 2025, President Trump signed an executive order titledEnabling Competition in the Commercial Space Industry to ease federal regulations on commercial rocket launches, including licensing, environmental reviews, and permitting processes.^[32]

• Space policy of the first Trump administration
• United States Space Force

• 2020s in spaceflight
• Second presidency of Donald Trump
• NASA oversight
• Policies of Donald Trump
• Space policy
• Space policy by United States presidential administration
• Space policy of the United States
• United States federal policy
• Trumpism

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