Golden Dome may not fully protect US from Chinese and Russian threats, experts say

The United States' ambitious "Golden Dome" national missile defense system, championed by President Donald Trump, faces scrutiny from experts who doubt its ability to provide complete protection against Chinese and Russian threats. These experts warn that the system's expansion could inadvertently fuel a global arms race, drawing in major powers like China, Russia, and North Korea.

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If we expand these missile defences further, we can expect additional responses.

Steve Fetter, a professor at the University of Maryland, highlighted the potential for retaliatory responses if missile defenses are further expanded. He pointed to China's current expansion of its nuclear arsenal, including the construction of approximately 350 new missile silos, as a move partly motivated by U.S. missile defense initiatives. Fetter expressed uncertainty about whether these actions and reactions will ultimately enhance U.S. security against nuclear attacks.

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It’s not clear that, at the end of the day, we will be any less vulnerable to a nuclear attack after these actions and reactions.

Michael O’Hanlon, director of research at Brookings Institution's Foreign Policy program, echoed these concerns, emphasizing the inherent risk of an arms race when missile defense systems are deployed. He explained that such deployments can lead to an overestimation of threats by the targeted nation and compensatory actions by the nation building the defense, potentially creating a cycle of escalation. The effectiveness and ultimate security implications of the "Golden Dome" remain a subject of debate among defense analysts.

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Because whoever is having the defence deployed against them tends to overestimate, and whoever is building the defence tends to compensate in the other way.