Trump’s Iron Dome for America system is now reportedly called Golden Dome

Donald Trump’s Iron Dome for America initiative for a missile defense system protecting US skies from attack has been reportedly renamed the Golden Dome for America.

In a video published on Thursday, secretary of defense Pete Hegseth referred to the project as “the Golden Dome or Iron Dome”. A defense official confirmed shortly after that the name of the initiative has been officially changed to “Golden Dome”, according to military news website Defense One.

A spokesperson for Space Force did not respond to a Guardian query on the possible name change.

The idea of a new name comes as a team of technical experts has been assembled by the US Space Force to determine which programs can help build out the initiative.

The Iron – or perhaps now Golden – Dome for America executive order, signed by Trump on 27 January, is a directive for Hegseth to submit a comprehensive plan that details an implementation strategy, including the required architecture, for a missile defense system.

Trump is known for his grand renaming of things, including the Gulf of Mexico, which is now known officially in the US as the Gulf of America, as well as having a gaudy taste for golden and luxurious decorations, such as that which often adorn his apartments and buildings like Trump Tower in New York.

The defense system focuses heavily on the concept of space-based sensors and interceptors. The company that currently dominates the market for such equipment is the Elon Musk-owned SpaceX, leading to concerns that this project is another way for Musk to make money from federal programs.

The team will finish planning in “a matter of weeks”, a senior Space Force official told reporters Monday.

Last month, it was announced that the space development agency, a branch under the Space Force, was in the process of acquiring new satellites in order to create a network of missile-tracking sensors within Earth’s orbit. This network would be part of the Dome system.

While Trump’s executive order argues that the US is in need of a space-centric defense against missile threats, many critics question the technical and financial feasibility of such a project.

The name and concept of the Dome for America alludes to Israel’s Iron Dome, a defense system designed to counter against short-range rockets and missiles.