Golden Dome Caucus Chair Warns Funding Hurdles Threaten Missile Defense Shield

One of the most vocal supporters of the Golden Dome in Congress warns that diverting funds for Iran‑related operations while confronting persistent partisan deadlock could jeopardize President Donald Trump’s expansive missile defense agenda.

Representative Jeff Crank, a Republican from Colorado, told Defense One that he is concerned about financing the Golden Dome. Of the $17.5 billion the White House requests for the homeland missile shield next year, only about $400 million is earmarked in the baseline budget, with the remainder dependent on a congressional reconciliation process. A separate $90 billion reconciliation package, which has already reduced the Pentagon’s original $350 billion request, chiefly funds ongoing operations and the replenishment of munitions used in the Iran conflict.

“We have largely relied on reconciliation to fund Golden Dome, and that approach only succeeds if the allocated money remains available,” Crank explained. “If those funds are redirected to other priorities—such as financing operations in Iran or restoring depleted capabilities—I have serious reservations.”

Crank’s caution reflects concerns voiced by Space Force General Michael Guetlein, the program manager overseeing Golden Dome, who spoke at the Space and Missile Defense Symposium in Huntsville last week. The four‑star general warned that without congressional funding, “there is no Golden Dome.” Analysts note that, alongside technical challenges like space‑based interceptors, political stalemate ranks among the program’s most significant barriers to progress.

“Investing more to mitigate domestic risks can create new dangers—through higher borrowing and taxes that strain the economy, or through cuts to other defense and non‑defense programs that introduce their own security and political risks,” noted Todd Harrison of the American Enterprise Institute in a report last year. “Ultimately, the cost of Golden Dome will not be set by fiscal limits or technical feasibility, but by the political decisions leaders make about which risks they choose to mitigate, trade, or accept.”

General Guetlein informed reporters last week that the Defense Department is actively discussing next steps and developing contingency plans. While Crank voiced support for the general’s optimism regarding the missile shield’s continued development, he also acknowledged the fiscal constraints confronting the program.

“I have complete trust in General Guetlein to pursue every possible avenue to make this happen, and I am confident they will act within the law,” Crank asserted. “However, there are limits to available funding, and allocating resources to one area inevitably precludes their use elsewhere.”

“I am uneasy that if Congress fails to appropriate funds for ongoing Iran‑related operations, those resources might have to be redirected elsewhere,” he added. “I would prefer that any reallocation not come from Golden Dome, and I certainly do not want it to be drawn from essential quality‑of‑life programs or from initiatives already financed through the reconciliation bill.”

The Colorado Republican co‑chairs the House Golden Dome Caucus together with Representative Dale Strong, a Republican from Alabama. According to LegiStorm, no Democrats currently participate in the caucus. Crank has been actively courting members across the aisle to secure additional financing for the program.

“I believe there are members on the other side who are receptive, and we are working to engage them,” Crank said. “Many of these lawmakers represent districts that host military installations or contractors involved in missile defense, making them natural allies for Golden Dome and broader ballistic missile defense initiatives.” “We are making progress, though it remains a challenging effort.”

Crank’s constituency includes Colorado Springs, home to Peterson and Schriever Space Force Bases as well as Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station, which serves as an alternate command center for U.S. Northern Command.

After a protracted political battle, Crank’s district lost the U.S. Space Command headquarters to Huntsville, Alabama, last year. Nevertheless, the Colorado Republican told Defense One that the Space Force’s Infrastructure Portfolio Acquisition Executive is relocating from Space Systems Command in California to Colorado Springs.

The office oversees $4 billion in contracts, according to a press release from the Colorado Springs Chamber & Economic Development Corporation. The relocation is slated for completion by year‑end and forms part of a broader wave of Space Force investments in the region, including the construction of a new Space Force Operations Facility at Schriever, a project announced by Air Force Secretary Troy Meink in May.

“Collectively, these initiatives will more than offset any losses associated with the relocation of the Space Command headquarters,” Crank concluded.

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