As a high-profile missile defense conference opens in Alabama, the Pentagon has ordered officials to avoid any public mention of President Donald Trump's signature missile shield project, the Golden Dome, Politico reported.
The Space and Missile Defense Symposium, which began Tuesday in Huntsville, Alabama, is typically a showcase for the Pentagon's priorities in missile defense. This year, however, it is marked by an important omission: the Golden Dome, a centerpiece of Trump's national defense agenda, has been pulled from the event's public discussions.
Organizers of the conference say Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's office issued a directive barring any reference to the multibillion-dollar Golden Dome initiative during the symposium. The system is intended to serve as a next-generation missile shield. While details remain sparse, it has already secured $25 billion in funding under the GOP's recently passed spending package.
"A lot of [attendees] are coming this year because of Golden Dome," said Bob English, a spokesperson for the event. "Unfortunately, last week, [Hegseth's office] came out and said they don't want us talking about Golden Dome during the symposium."
The silence comes amid a broader effort by the Pentagon to tighten public communications and limit participation in outside policy discussions. New guidelines prohibit personnel from participating in think tank and research organization events, which have historically been key venues for shaping and sharing defense strategies.
Inside the department, officials have also curtailed press access and reduced public briefings, a shift that critics say risks undermining transparency. The move to restrict discussion of the Golden Dome has added to growing concerns over what some see as a culture of excessive secrecy.
"There was confusion for about 48 hours about exactly what the policy was or what they intended us to do or not to do," English said, describing a flurry of back-and-forth over how the new rules should be applied to the symposium.
Although public discussion is off the table this week, a more structured session is planned for Thursday. The Missile Defense Agency will host an unclassified industry briefing that will detail the Golden Dome's objectives, its intended threat profile, and procurement strategy.
Still, defense experts argue that the program demands open dialogue.
"When it comes to Golden Dome, start talking," said Tom Karako, a missile defense expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "There are good answers to these questions because the threat is profound. But there needs to be a lot more communication and persuasion."
Trump initiated the Golden Dome project shortly after returning to the White House. With ambitions for a $175 billion total investment, the initiative is seen by supporters as essential to countering rapidly evolving missile threats from adversaries such as China, Iran, and North Korea.
In July, the Senate confirmed Gen. Mike Guetlein to lead the new Golden Dome office, which is tasked with finalizing the system's architecture by mid-September. The first integrated flight test is expected to take place in late 2028.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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