The 'Ted Cruz's Space Pirates' meme originated from a 2019 Senate subcommittee hearing where Senator Ted Cruz argued for the necessity of the United States Space Force. During his remarks, he expressed concern about the potential threat of 'space pirates' and 'privateers' interfering with commercial space travel. The internet quickly latched onto the phrase, finding the concept of 17th-century maritime threats applied to outer space both absurd and hilarious. It is now commonly used to poke fun at political hyperbole, science fiction tropes, or any situation where the proposed defense seems disproportionate to a highly unlikely or fantastical threat.