According to a report by the Times of Israel on Wednesday 21 January, 2026, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump claimed he had urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to rein in Israel’s public praise of the Iron Dome missile defense system, arguing that the technology belongs to Washington, not Jerusalem. He framed the point as a private admonition delivered directly to the Israeli leader, saying, “Bibi stop taking credit for the dome, that’s our technology.”
The assertion, however, doesn’t line up with the program’s history. Iron Dome was conceived and built in Israel by local defense firms to counter short-range rocket and missile fire. American involvement came later, largely in the form of substantial funding and limited cooperation with US defense contractors, rather than original design ownership. That distinction has long been acknowledged by defense officials on both sides of the Atlantic.
Trump, on his part, used the moment to project his broader pitch about missile defense. He praised US support for Israel as a major achievement, then quickly said it pales in comparison to what he says is coming next for North America and beyond. The idea, as he laid it out, is a sweeping protective shield that would dwarf previous efforts.
And that’s where his so-called “Golden Dome” enters the picture. The proposed $175 billion initiative would rely on a vast constellation of satellites designed to spot, track, and potentially intercept incoming missiles, particularly those originating from rivals like China and Russia.
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