Trump Demands Immediate Construction of “Iron Dome” to Protect America
Among the sweeping executive orders signed by President Trump in his first full week as president was one calling for the immediate construction of an Israeli-like “Iron Dome” missile defense system to protect the US from “hostile outside threats.”
Before the order, signed on Monday, January 27, newly minted Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had hinted that the order was coming down the pike as he headed into his first full day in office.
“The lawful orders of the president of the United States will be executed inside this Defense Department swiftly and without excuse. We will be no better friend to our allies and no stronger adversary to those who want to test us and try us so,” Hegseth told reporters.
“And today, there are more executive orders coming that we fully support on removing DEI inside the Pentagon, reinstating troops who were pushed out because of [Covid-19] mandates, and an Iron Dome for America,” he added. “This is happening quickly.”
That same evening, speaking at a Republican dinner in Florida, President Trump confirmed those aspirations.
“Pete Hegseth, who’s going to be great, by the way… I think he’s going to be fantastic,” Trump said in remarks to the attendees. “I know him very well. I think he’s going to be fantastic.”
“He’s what we need to immediately begin the construction of a state-of-the-art Iron Dome missile defense shield, which will be able to protect Americans.”
The order was one of a handful of measures designed to bolster America’s defenses. An Iron Dome for America has long been in the works as an official platform in the Republican Party, something they adopted as a policy goal over the summer.
Among 20 promises the GOP vowed to implement was the following: “Prevent World War Three, restore peace in Europe and in the Middle East, and build a great iron dome missile defense shield over our entire country — all made in America.
The Iron Dome for America executive order calls on the Secretary of Defense to submit a detailed plan outlining “reference architecture, capabilities-based requirements, and an implementation plan for the next-generation missile defense shield.”
Among those plans are a requirement to provide “Defense of the United States against ballistic, hypersonic, advanced cruise missiles, and other next-generation aerial attacks from peer, near-peer, and rogue adversaries.”
Trump referenced President Roald Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative (Star Wars) and his interest in a similar system during the Cold War while making his remarks at the Republican dinner. He recalled how the country “didn’t have the technology” then.
“And now we have phenomenal technology. You see that with Israel,” Trump said. “So I think the United States is entitled to that. And everything will be made right here in the USA 100 percent.”
“We’re going next to ensure that we have the most lethal fighting force in the world,” he concluded.
First, calling it an “iron dome” is bullshit marketing for the rubes. The Iron Dome protects against short range missiles, like 40-60 miles away, not intercontinental ballistic and hypersonic missiles. Those take Israels’ David’s Sling or Arrow 2 and 3 systems. And at 400 times their geography, you do the math and how good this will be, how expensive it is.
And remember, it was our shipboard defense system that stopped a few of the incoming to Isreal on the last missile strike, it was our intelligence that told them when it was coming (although they may have had that intelligence themselves too).
But getting a plan is a good thing. Trump already started some SDI initiatives in his last term. We just don’t have the money and given Trump’s spending on The Great Deportation, The Great Firings, and after the new tax cuts, doubtful there’s much left in the cookie jar. Of course, spending other people’s money is his crowning achievement.
Here’s a great wrap up: * https://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/current-us-missile-defense-programs-glance*
Yes, the problem in the U.S. is much more complex, with much more sophisticated enemies. But the job of politicians is to keep its people with at least the perception of being safe, and the marketing bullshit works. And the only way to prevent China and its allies from attacking us is to create at least the perception of an “iron dome” over the U.S., if not the reality. It won’t be easy, but Trump will go for the reality.
Deporting is cheap compared to the $400 Billion dufus packages passed by Biden. And compared to the rebuilding of after the fire allowed by the dufus Democrats in California. And deporting the criminals should save money in damage and incarceration costs.
More musings here by an ignoramus. The money spent in the infrastructure act and the IRA (not to mention the chip act) directly benefits Americans, both in what they provide in terms of service to us and the employment opportunities they provide. Deportations that dear leader is talking about cost money to accomplish and will raise the cost of everyday essentials that American consumers want/need due to the fact that non-US citizens do not want to do these jobs, at least not at the wages typically paid. As far as the ‘Iron Dome’, that appears to be a vanity project for the dufus in the WH to crow about (and waste money) much like the discussions regarding colonizing Mars by the alternate president. We have a missile defense system, we have personnel watching our adversaries, this is a total waste of valuable tax dollars that will never go anywhere..
“marketing bullshit works” with sheeples.
I do not agree with your deportation economics, but time will tell. He spends our extra tax dollars to use military transports when commercial will do just for fun, for show: *https://www.newsweek.com/trumps-reliance-military-planes-deportations-costing-taxpayers-2023882* Or *https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/latest-updates/up-to-852000-how-much-trump-ends-up-paying-for-each-deportation-flight/articleshow/117596636.cms?from=mdr*
You pitch Biden’s spending, but Biden brought down the deficit ramp Trump built. He brought down Trump’s GDP/debt ratio, although not enough IMO: *https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/GFDEGDQ188S* But Trump is very loose about spending our money and IF you believe deporting illegal workers is profitable, I have that bridge still and looking to sell.
He’s got Mush to deport government workers to the private sector. The Mush plan has X in financial turmoil that Musk himself told workers is DIRE. Yeah, Doge will be a winner. How many on unemployment after that.
You pitch Trump’s deportation against some Biden programs but really, you have no clue as to the deportation price tag because he ain’t pitching costs anymore. Not to mention the price tag for sending the military to the boarder, the wall, the firings (you can’t fire for free in America), the tax cuts, the tariffs, his conceptual health plan TrumpNoCare, he’s promised a lot of new stuff. So, until we see the price tag, seeing him jack the costs to get workers out of America (and a few criminals), points in the other direction from a budget conscious guy.
Back on point: we agree this is complex, good thing to look at, and that his marketing bullshit works with some, and you like the bullshit because it works. I say again: “But getting a plan is a good thing.” I think you agree, and the price tag will be the tail of the tape.
And you say: “Trump will go for the reality.” Yes, and DEI caused the DC plane crash.
But fuck off with the CA shit. Come on man, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina —– Liberals never do what you do to Democrats in a crisis. Quit politicizing disasters.
We should be focusing on implementing white history month starting this year. We could show displays of rap sheets and see which group has the most
It is a shame that responders to any article have to use the words ‘f**k, f*****g, s**t, b******t, m****r f****r and other derogatory words to expresss their feelings. Do they not realize this is a turnoff to most normal people? It certainly does not make an impression on others reading their comments other than people realize they cannot control their tongue. It has gotten to be the norm for people to use such foul language and it is no wonder why children being brought up in today’s world follow their parents example and speak the same foul language. Just some food for thought here.
Ruth Miller: Jesus fucking Christ, I agree and I am a huge offender. But you mention nothing about threats of violence, misinformation, hate speak, and more tossed towards and at liberals here. Yes, I hope its’s a turnoff, mission accomplished. And IF Joe ever moderates all of the trash here, I will change. Until then, fuck off.
Sorry.
You made it up about threats of violence. People have not been threatened on this site. You have been sniffing too many bicycle seats
IT NEEDS TO BE THREE FOLD FOR DEFENSE!! 1. LAND-BASED SYSTEMS FOR SHORT-RANGE MISSLES! 2. LONG RANGE SPACE INTERCEPT MISSLE SYSTEM! 3. LASTLY A SPACE-BASED PLATFORM TO ASSIST AND FORTIFY THE LAND-BASED SYSTEMS! THIS SPACE PLATFORM SHOULD BE MANNED BY THE SPACE FORCE!
LMB: yes, that’s what the Israeli’s do…..
Trump has experience in ruining companies into bankruptcy he is following his own old playbook.
The US is so strapped for cash that is forced to borrow from our friends the Chinese. At present interest on the national debt is nearly equal to our national GDP.
We are in financial trouble with the promises made to support Ukraine with cash and militarily. Does anyone but me feel the awkwardness when we borrow from China and hand what is borrowed over to Ukraine. The rationale behind that move is to not use taxpayer funds.
The Iron Dome project seem like defense system that has three counts against it It’s bang for the buck is less than Trump projects. Its structure is ineffective against this country’s adversaries’ technology. If or when this so called Iron Dome comes on line and readied for implementation its time will be past. If it was to be it should already be in place with superior technology to the competition’s.
That our folks in charge of these things and assumedly in the know regarding intelligence that supports a need for an extensive defense upgrade, then why hasn’t it already been built.
Battle fields in previous World Wars and the various military conflicts that involved our troops have decimated other countries’ cities, manufacturing complexes, bridges, roadways, power infrastructures, hospitals, schools, cathedrals, and most importantly innocent noncombatant civilian lives. In each one of these our country was spared losses that accompany countries at war. For that saving from material loss on American soil we should remember.
Because, future war(s) are bound to find us where we live. An Iron Dome will hardly deter intercontinental rockets launched from land or sea.
Which country the rockets initially come from depends on that country’s leader with the audacity required to order the first strike, assuming their rockets have long range capability.
This Iron Dome is an ill fated project for its guaranteed ballooning cost, dubious capability to deter or possibly destroy incoming ballistics, and the present administration’s proven ineptitude beyond papering the countryside with EO proclamations that are so numerous each day’s offerings are lost given how the White House os so poorly orchestrating release of every EO.
If the only thing to fear is fear itself, then this country has a ton of things coming that are sure to instill fear itself. And when Trump’s aim is for a population full of fear and concern for their future because of his recklessness as president. The whole country, except for the wealthiest 1-2%, will feel our nations strength and world stature that has been in decline after our losses beginning with Vietnam and our several embarrassing debacles in the Near East countries.
With the losses adding up through the post WWII period who will not see that this nation is in a state of decline. With Trump manipulating as many people as it takes so he satisfies his own ends. His machinations accelerate this existent decline.
There is not a defense known in history that teaches the way out when a nation or empire is in decline. The reality in history finds that no great nation has reversed a decline and succeeded in its return to some measure of its former greatness.
Make America Great Again has been Trump’s slogan on which he has cashed in and duped people out of millions of their hard earned income. The uncomfortable facts tell a sure truth. Trump is exacerbating this nation’s decline away from its former greatness. It’s like the story of the king known as Humpty Dumpty who sat on the wall and suffered a great fall. All the king’s men and all the king’s horses couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty together again.
Trump has won his part in history as another American President, but as much as he blusters and rants in long winded oratories the one item he has made near great is his own esteem for himself alone.
He has displayed no intellectual acumen sufficient for the task, nor has he intimated that he desires serving we the people as defined in our Constitution.
His handlers are doing him and our country a disservice in their counsel. They are false loyalists to Trump himself. While Trump’s every effort is to embellish his brand, take control of the power in his office, and of course line his own pockets. It’s becoming more and more evident that the cadre of loyalists that cater to his every call and assumed desire of his are there for at least two things. The first is the same as Trump’s is the lining of their bank accounts. Second is to grab some of any power and influence that radiates from the Oval Office.
Trump surrounds himself with people playing at loyalty. Loyalty to Trump has proven to be disloyalty to the good of the country. Evidence being Trump’s being In twice found guilty of impeachable offenses, but his loyalists in the Senate saved him from being removed from office. The Republican Senators’ fear of Trump’s wrath and retribution had them vote against his removal. This unprecedented event for any previous President set in motion the furor in the GOP that carried Trump through 5 tempestuous years and returned him to the Oval Office. Had those Republican Senators voted responsibly and removed Trump from office. It’s very likely 1/06 would not have come to pass, and Trump would not have received the GOP nomination at it convention in 2024. Then Trump would not campaign for and win in 2024.
That the Senators on the red team shrunk back from doing their duty for reasons of historic implications has forced the nation into the present disastrous situation. Building a useless wall, attempting an Iron Dome, needlessly firing thousands and thousands of highly competent federal employees, issuing illegal EO’s in his following through with Project 2025 at the behest of it writers who designed an authoritarian style Presidency to suit Trump.
Lest we forget, Trump is master minding the next four years such that the decline our nation is in now will grow steeper with the time getting shorter.
AC: “At present interest on the national debt is nearly equal to our national GDP.” I think you either mean total interest which is apples to oranges, OR debt, not interest in which case it’s currently 123% under Trump and soon to be rising. It used to be that 100% was considered the witching point of doom, but during covid, we surpassed that. IOW —- we were the queen of the pigs and still the bestest, safest place to park your cash. Debt used to be mostly owned by us; now social security funds 28%. Think about that, we own our own mortgage, that’s a scary risk in itself. Today, international owns 34%, the biggest slice. However, when you add social security, private US investors, state/local investors, they combined own about 60%. Of the 34% international, China owns 2%, as does UK. Japan is at 3% and the remainder is spread around. So, really, China does not own us, but combined, if international goes elsewhere, we are sunk.
Here are some great links: understanding our debt: *https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/national-debt/*
*https://www.imf.org/external/datamapper/CG_DEBT_GDP@GDD/CHN/FRA/DEU/ITA/JPN/GBR/USA*
And here’s one from the IMF that describes world debt and you can click to countries to see an amazing amount of economic metrics: *https://www.imf.org/external/datamapper/CG_DEBT_GDP@GDD/CHN/FRA/DEU/ITA/JPN/GBR/USA*
Trump does not understand the technical aspects of debt and instead cruises the financial waters like a shark, dead eyes and always searching for the next kill to stay alive. He learned his first rule of business the hard way almost losing all of his personal assets on his first bankruptcy. That rule that every business person is taught on day one: always use other people’s money, never invest your own in yourself. The rule makes common sense from two perspectives: 1 – who wants to lose their money, and 2) why have a business, if it does not attract investors. Trump’s Dad bailed him out a few times, but Trump learned his lesson from the first bankruptcy.
Since then, Trump has shuttled from bank to bank as he has pissed off one after another. Along the way there has been some flakey Russian deals, and his last bank Douchebag Bank in Germany, holds one of the largest money laundering fines from it’s Russian handlers. As the information became more public, after some Douchebag Bank upper management went public saying “this doesn’t look like a normal loan at all,” Douchebag Bank dropped him. Now he is own by a mysterious Florida investment firm with a couple of sports figureheads and a lot of shady investors. The rate must be at loan shark levels or above.
Don Hanky and his banks have floated Trump’s legal bonds. Don Hankey made a fortune building a subprime auto loan empire. Along the way, his companies racked up consumer complaints, regulatory fines and were sued by the DOJ. But the FL firm is a deal made in heaven with a murky investment firm called CGI Merchant Group from hell, no doubt.
*chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/democrats-oversight.house.gov/files/2022-05-06.CBM%20GEC%20to%20Thomas-CGI%20re%20Old%20Post%20Office%20Building%20Lease%20Final.pdf*
The sharks other kills: *https://www.forbes.com/sites/danalexander/2022/07/29/donald-trumps-great-escape-how-the-former-president-solved-his-debt-crisis/*
Basically he’s playing the shell game but each time he hides the pea, the interest goes up no doubt. Plus, there appears to be some creditor overpayments along the way and one can only guess the returns for paying to much. One might surmise that they won given they have Presidential access now, not to mention what they may use it for. Trump too has entered the media game using his buddies to help him set it up. Let’s face it, social media with a marquee owner is a cash machine that only a Musk could figure out a way to destroy. He also entered bitcoin so now can claim himself as a seller of Florida swampland. And you can use his bitcoin to but Trump merch that he markets while being President. Fake money, fake products, fake President, it all makes senser Nothing says profit like the bully pulpit.
But it’s still the shell game with little tangible assets underneath bit coin or social media.
Like I said, Trump does not understand the technical aspects of debt, he’s just a shark. And he is even worse at sovereign debt that multiple times he has suggested we should “refinance.” IF you think riding a debt/gdp ratio above 100% is risky, the mere suggestion of a debt refinance could send foreign investors into the night, instantly. The first time he said it, right after taking the throne in 2017, he went silent as if powerful people said terrible things in secret. Never seen him do that before, even when separating babies from mothers, he did not shut up. Same thing the other two times, it’s weird. But he’s Trump, he always circles round, and now he’s got his oligarch buddies so who knows his next play. But it’s a shell game, the emperor has not clothes, he has miraculously extended his play with both fame and fortune, and no one, I mean no one, should ever count him out no matter how down he is. As he sold the loser DC hotel, refinanced his Douchebag Bank loan, he was seen as over. Yet he emerged with more free cash than you could use in a lifetime. Amazing, grace.
And he learned that rule long ago on the first bankruptcy and now he has all of our money, all of our credit, all of our goodwill to play with and go bankrupt again. But this time, it’s our pockets he picks and we didn’t authorize that. Just watch the debt/gdp ratio and our debt, it will be crystal clear. 1Q25 in March and with the way we are spending, with the gdp under 3%, watch out, here it comes.
Frank, thanks for your reply and the references, too.
How discouraging it is that so few have seen the writings on the wall. History is full of stories of the rise and fall of the great societies like the USA. Each “empire” followed a similar pattern and the U.S. is now going down the same path as those other powerful states.
Great Powers need to win its wars and military conflicts if it wants to keep its high status with other world nations. It is a fact that the weakening of a nation’s powerful place in the world comes from an inordinate degree of pride. Pride and moral failure on the part of top leadership are common factors in a nation’s lessening its ethical standards.. Ethics are what appears when leaders speak and behave in general.
I believe a nation’s ethics are evident in their leader’s behavior while conducting business on behalf of the nation. The U.S. has representational style government, the people elect their leaders, and these leaders are representative of who the majority of the people’ are regarding their moral and ethical standards
It’s a dark and forbidding picture that comes to mind as the objective realities are weighed against what the Founders’ positive and hopeful declarations their forward thinking design that’s laid out in the Constitution.
Sadly, winners will exaggerate the margin by which they outnumbered their opposition in elections as in any other competition. This is the case with Trump. He and his people say he won a landslide victory and a definite mandate. Which is not an accurate fact. Trump’s win was mathematically determined. Simply put,, he received more votes, but the final count came to less than 50% of all the votes. So.Trump’s spiel is over blown indicating that he is both insecure about his win and in denial about how few votes were in the margins.
Denial happens to characterize the general position of Americans today. The day is coming when the people are going to have a sad a ha moment, when it’s clear that this country is in active decline. And, the last election’s result revealed that fact and hastened the day of its coming. Facts are facts, yet Christian Nationalists believe that Trumps win just had to be and now they are ate heaven’s gate.
AC: agreed. And it’s amazing how a single block can make the entire Jenga tower collapse.
It’s amazing how a small group can move the world with small actions at a critical moment.
I agree the 1/6 tragedy was a small sedition inside a larger riot inside a larger protest inside a larger rally. A few folks made the wave and many were just caught in the rip tide. Don’t matter, lock them all up, and then let them all go apparently. Law and oder.
But how about the Revolutionary War: bunch of founders, but only a few at the Tea Party. Many founders wanted to take one more try as talking it through with England but then the eruption in Boston. Lots of things happened for a decade before the Civil War, but Fort Sumter got the ball rolling. Vietnam— Gulf of Tonkin, also known as the fly attacking the fly swatter, started us against a guy who honored OUR Constitution. Getting rid of Saddam, babies in an incubator that never happened that fooled the ex-head of the CIA… Whether righteous or not, good endings or not, it’s amazing how a molehill often turns into a mountain of war.
So here with go into the heart of darkness where chaos abounds, truth disappears, and the communications clusterfuck of disinformation continues. He will do whatever he does, his lackies will know no bounds, knowing that even if they sin, he will absolve them. He has his Project 2025 bible and he knows it chapter and verse. They will gut the government, replace lower level competent workers with online internet training incompetent, but loyal, Project 2025 workers who may not even have degrees. He will pull whatever levers he can that don’t require Congress or Law: EO’s, tariffs, international agreements, etc. He will try to change law so he can fire low level employees solely based on party affiliation while falsely claiming support of meritocracy which is his oxymoron definition.
But, most importantly, he will not serve the desires, wants, and needs of over half the country and so:
Two years.
These people here may love it, love him, pray to a false Felon King, but…… they are just a small part of the equation.
The 1/6 people were real patriots who saw their democracy taken away by voter fraud. But holy shit!!!!!!!!! Trump won!!! No weapon formed against him prospered. The convictions will be overturned on appeal and we c MAGA!!!!!! Our president is a man from the ground up.
Great news for all us