US EditionBehemoth Golden Dome may face lackluster scrutiny in Trump’s Pentagon
- This week in Washington, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a plan to downsize the Pentagon’s operational test and evaluation staff from 94 to 46 personnel.
- The decision came after the office announced it would be responsible for overseeing testing of the Trump administration’s extensive Golden Dome missile defense program, a major project valued at $175 billion and subject to stringent legal oversight requirements.
- With reduced personnel and minimal contractor assistance, there are concerns that DOT&E may be unable to effectively supervise Golden Dome and other key defense initiatives, potentially jeopardizing mission effectiveness and government funds.
- Senator Jack Reed called the move "reckless and damaging" and "politically motivated interference," while Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the reorganization restores DOT&E’s statutory intent and removes duplication.
- The restructuring aligns with the Pentagon's America First strategy and aims to save over $300 million annually, but oversight gaps may allow some costly programs to avoid scrutiny.
18 Articles
18 Articles
"The Guardian": Nothing From the "Golden Dome" During Trump's Term
Donald Trump's so-called "Golden Dome" missile defense program - which would include space-based weapons to intercept strikes on the US - will not be ready before the end of his term, despite his prediction that it would be completed within the next three years.
Hegseth gutted Pentagon office that said it would oversee testing of Golden Dome missile defense system
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered the gutting of a Pentagon office shortly after it disclosed that it would be overseeing the testing of President Donald Trump’s Golden Dome missile defense system and the programs associated with the massive, multi-billion dollar project, multiple officials familiar with the matter told CNN.
Trump’s Golden Dome Project: Is It Necessary?
On January 27, 2025, President Donald Trump issued Executive Order 14186; titled The Iron Dome for America. In February, the project was renamed to the Golden Dome Project. The Iron Dome is trademarked by the Israeli government; the Iron Dome is Israel’s defense system (Inside Defense). Executive Order 14186 states that the purpose behind the dome is “threat of attack by ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles, and other advanced aerial attac…
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