United States President Donald Trump has declared his intention to sign an executive order to initiate the development of an “Iron Dome” missile defense system.

During a gathering for Republican lawmakers at his golf resort, Trump National Doral Miami, on Monday, he committed to enhancing US military capabilities through executive measures later that evening.

“We must maintain a robust defense,” Trump stated from the stage. “In just a short time, I will be signing four new executive orders.”

He elaborated that the first order would “promptly commence the construction of a cutting-edge Iron Dome missile defense shield, designed to safeguard Americans.”

Additionally, he mentioned that two other orders would focus on eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and removing “transgender ideology from our military.”

The fourth order would reinstate service members who had been discharged for refusing to adhere to mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic, with approximately 8,000 members affected between August 2021 and January 2023.

Trump positioned these actions as essential for ensuring that the US maintains “the most formidable fighting force in the world.”

A surge of executive orders

Monday’s announcement represented another wave in the extensive series of executive actions that Trump has initiated since his return to the White House on January 20.

Officials report that Trump signed an unprecedented number of executive actions on his first day in office, totaling 42 orders, memorandums, and proclamations.

Many of these initial actions focused on immigration and social issues. Notably, he sought to eliminate birthright citizenship, a constitutionally guaranteed right that grants citizenship to anyone born in the United States.

However, some of his early executive orders overlapped with those announced on Monday.

He called for the termination of government DEI programs, which he claimed were responsible for “illegal and immoral discrimination.” Additionally, he signed another order asserting that male and female gender identities are “not changeable.”

The most recent set of orders specifically addresses the structure of the U.S. military and its strategic priorities.

For instance, Monday’s orders reflect a “transgender military ban” that Trump attempted to implement in 2017 during his first term, which was later overturned by President Joe Biden in 2021.

Approximately 8,000 service members are transgender, although the actual number may be higher due to concerns about public identification.

The executive orders announced by Trump also coincided with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s first day at the Pentagon.

Hegseth, a military veteran and former host at Fox News, has been vocal in his criticism of what he perceives as a “woke” ideology infiltrating the military, raising concerns about the inclusion of women in combat positions.

As the new head of the Pentagon, Hegseth has committed to implementing significant changes in military leadership and aims to reinstate a “warrior culture” within the armed forces.

He was confirmed for his position by 50 Republican senators, despite facing allegations of sexual abuse and struggles with alcoholism.

Three Republican senators, including former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, voted against his nomination.

Establishing an ‘Iron Dome’

Trump’s executive order to create an “Iron Dome” aligns with a promise he made during his campaign.

The term “Iron Dome” refers to a U.S.-funded missile defense system in Israel designed to detect and intercept incoming rockets.

Throughout his re-election campaign for 2024, Trump expressed his intention to enhance Israel’s Iron Dome system.

In an August appearance on the social media platform X, he informed billionaire Elon Musk of his plans to develop “the best Iron Dome in the world.”

In July, he incorporated the Iron Dome initiative into the official platform of the Republican Party.

However, military analysts have consistently raised doubts about the necessity and feasibility of such a system for the United States.

The system currently deployed in Israel is designed to defend against relatively low-caliber rockets and mortars. Additionally, Israel’s geographic size is comparable to that of New Jersey, one of the smaller states in the US.

Experts argue that establishing a similar defense system across the expansive US mainland would be prohibitively expensive and potentially ineffective, especially considering the advanced military capabilities of potential adversaries like Russia and China.

Furthermore, it is noted that the US already operates missile defense systems, including the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense and the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) program.

The future of Trump’s Iron Dome initiative remains uncertain, as it will likely require funding from Congress.

“We protect other nations, yet we fail to protect ourselves,” Trump stated on Monday.

“With our remarkable technology, as demonstrated by Israel, which intercepts nearly all of the 319 rockets fired at it, I believe the United States deserves similar protection.”