What Is Golden Dome? US Missile Shield at Center of Trump-Canada Row

US President Donald Trump on Friday said that China will "eat up" Canada within a year, accusing Canada of posing a threat to North American security.
Launching a scathing attack on Canada, Trump said the country is ignoring North American security concerns. The US President alleged that Canada is opposing his Golden Dome missile defense project in Greenland, which he said poses a serious threat to US security.
Trump also warned Canada about its growing closeness to China, stating that China will "eat them up" within a year.

What Is Golden Dome?

Golden Dome is America’s next-generation, multi-layer missile defense shield. Its main objective is to identify and destroy long-range missiles, including Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), hypersonic weapons, and potential nuclear attacks from any enemy country while they are in the air.

The system will mainly include three components:

1. A satellite network that will continuously monitor the Earth.
2. An AI-based tracking and analysis system that will determine whether a missile is headed towards the US.
3. Interceptor missiles and laser systems that will destroy the attack in mid-air.

Why Was Golden Dome Needed?

China has deployed hypersonic missiles like the DF-17. Russia has nuclear-capable missiles such as Avangard and Sarmat. North Korea has repeatedly conducted nuclear and ballistic missile tests.
In this environment, the US felt it needed a system that could intercept every threat from the sky, and that is how Golden Dome was born.

Trump Unhappy With Canada-China Friendship

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney recently visited China. This visit resulted in reduced tariffs on Canadian agricultural products and a quota for Chinese electric vehicles in Canada.

Although Trump publicly acknowledged this move, he still subjected it to criticism.

Trump’s attack on Canada came just days after Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered one of the sharpest criticisms of the United States in Davos, where he declared that American dominance was waning.