President Donald Trump issued an executive order to build an Iron Dome for America on Monday night. He categorized the need for the “next-generation missile defense shield” as an integral part of a strong national defense against “peer and near-peer adversaries of next-generation delivery systems.”

Trump discussed plans to construct a new weapons defense system while campaigning for president, emphasizing the need for a “state-of-the-art missile defense shield made in the USA.” He again mentioned plans for the Iron Dome during a rally in Washington, D.C., the day before his inauguration. The executive order made the intention to build the weapon a policy of the Trump administration.

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