Trump’s Golden Dome Sparks Unprecedented Surge in Space Force Funding

The U.S. Space Force’s budget for 2026 could see a 40% increase compared to this year, which is mostly driven by President Donald Trump’s fantasy of creating a futuristic missile defense system that uses space-based sensors and weapons.

A recent report by the Center for Space Policy and Strategy highlights the Golden Dome’s role in driving the increase in funding allocated toward the Space Force. Trump announced the ambitious Golden Dome project within one week of taking office, describing a multilayered network of defense aimed at targeting next-generation aerial threats against the U.S.

“The introduction of Golden Dome is arguably the most important development affecting the defense space budget since the inception of the Space Force,” the report reads. “The project’s primacy within the administration, anticipated scale, and heavy focus on space all suggest that it will considerably alter the level of resources allocated for defense space activities.”

Under Trump’s proposed budget, the Space Force would receive $26.1 billion in funding with an additional $13.8 billion through the budget reconciliation bill. That would add up to $39.9 billion, a hefty $11.3 billion increase from the Space Force’s budget in 2025. The added funding is a shift from traditional space programs to projects that support the Golden Dome, according to the report.

The reconciliation bill, which was passed in July, also includes a starter pack for the Golden Dome at the price of $25 billion, which are merely initial funds out of an estimate of $175 billion in total development costs. Aside from billions going toward the massive structure, the Golden Dome has also been criticized for essentially being ineffective and plagued by several technical challenges.

Aside from the Golden Dome, the extra cash flow going toward the Space Force’s budget is aimed at bolstering up its defense capabilities at large. The budget includes added investment toward the development and protection of U.S. military satellites, the Space Force’s X-37B spaceplane, and space situational awareness programs.

The budget request also includes increased funding toward commercial services, continuing the trend of relying on private companies rather than using satellites built by the Department of Defense (DOD). The proposed budget would increase the funding for commercially owned low Earth orbit satellites while decreasing it for ones owned by the DOD. “The growing emphasis on commercial space capabilities aligns with broader acquisition reforms the administration has been pursuing to favor nontraditional defense firms,” the report reads.

Overall, the budget reveals a growing emphasis on building up space-based defense capabilities as the U.S. takes on a more aggressive approach against its so-called adversaries.