Anti-missile defense plans: Trump wants to defend the US from space

The United States wants to improve its anti-missile defense capabilities. President Trump presented a strategy that includes space defense systems.

By Sebastian Schreiber, ARD Studio Washington

Rising threats around the world – the image that US President Donald Trump and interim Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan drew was a matter of rearmament rather than disarmament. Shanahan said that America's adversaries are working to develop their missile arsenal, including China and Russia. Above all, supersonic rockets are increasingly threatening the United States, according to Shanahan. New technologies meant new threats that were harder to detect, monitor and reject.

Despite the rapprochement – the missiles of North Korea, the United States continues to be a threat, said the Minister of Interim Defense. Shanahan said that his country is not looking for enemies, even the United States has not ignored them.

Defense in space

Following Shanahan's speech, Trump introduced a new strategy to help the United States recognize and deter rockets. Trump has announced plans to install 20 new interceptors in Alaska. Military plans use new sensors and radar equipment.

In the future, space will also play an important role, said Trump: "With the next budget, we invest in a defensive shield installed in space, this is a new technology, which will be an important part of our defense, but also of our attack ". The president of the United States said he would focus on developing completely new technologies rather than investing money in existing systems.

Commitment to NATO, criticism of Germany

Trump said in his speech that the United States was 100% behind NATO. However, the President reiterated his position to make international partners more financially responsible. He cited Germany as an example of a country that currently does not pay enough. But America is no longer an idiot to others, says Trump.

In his appeal for an increase in defense spending by NATO partners, the president of the United States emphasized Germany. It is not right for the country to pay a lower share of the gross domestic product to NATO than the United States.