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Significance
Trump included calls for an “Iron Dome”-style missile defence system in last year’s Republican election campaign, but similar rhetoric during his first administration was not matched by an increase in resources. Budgetary pressures and technical challenges may similarly curb missile defence programmes during his second term.
Impacts
Russia, China and now North Korea have the ability to target the US homeland with ICBMs.
Countering highly manoeuvrable hypersonic missiles and strikes designed to paralyse US power projection will gain priority.
Washington, which currently spends almost USD30bn per year on missile defence, may seek to involve its allies in any additional spending.
Keywords:
United States,
NA,
US,
politics,
defence,
foreign policy,
government,
military,
nuclear weapons,
policy,
security,
arms
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2025
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