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Big Short Investor Danny Moses Sounds Alarm on $39 Trillion Debt Crisis Nobody's Pricing In

MarketDash Editorial Team
2 days ago
Danny Moses, known for his role in The Big Short, warns that markets are overlooking a massive risk: U.S. fiscal policy, mounting national debt approaching $39 trillion, and the potential for an inflation-driven crisis that could shake the dollar's global standing.

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The best investors don't just find opportunities everyone else missed. They spot risks everyone else is actively ignoring. That's what made The Big Short work, and it's exactly what Danny Moses thinks is happening right now.

Except this time, the overlooked risk isn't subprime mortgages or credit default swaps. It's something far more fundamental: U.S. fiscal policy and a national debt load quietly creeping toward $39 trillion.

Markets Are Betting on a Rescue That May Not Come

In an exclusive interview, Moses explained that markets are pricing in a fantasy scenario where everything works out smoothly. Investors expect a dovish Fed chair to ride in on a white horse, quantitative easing to be deployed at the first sign of trouble, and policymakers to prevent any real pain.

That's a comfortable story. It might also be wrong.

"We continue to ignore our national debt," Moses said, pointing out it's "approaching $39 trillion and growing." The problem isn't just the size. It's that markets treat this mounting debt as a distant, theoretical concern rather than an immediate threat.

Short-Term Thinking, Long-Term Trouble

Here's where it gets interesting. To manage all that debt, the U.S. Treasury has leaned heavily on short-term bills instead of locking in rates with longer-duration bonds. Moses called this strategy a "short-term fix" that creates a new vulnerability.

"By definition, it increases refinancing risk," he warned.

Translation: if inflation comes roaring back, the government will be forced to refinance enormous amounts of debt at much higher rates. That's not just expensive. It's potentially destabilizing.

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Weekly insights + SMS (optional)

The Dollar's Dominance Isn't Guaranteed Forever

So what happens if policy mistakes pile up? Moses laid out a scenario markets aren't prepared for: "a spike in U.S. Treasuries (10 year yields) and a steep decline in the US$."

That combination doesn't just hurt portfolios. It can "accelerate inflation" by making imports more expensive, creating a vicious cycle that's hard to break. Even more concerning, Moses warned it could "put the $ reserve status in the world at risk."

He's not predicting the dollar loses its throne tomorrow. But he is pointing to erosion, the kind of slow confidence drain that markets don't price in until it's already happening.

The timing matters here. This week, Moses announced he's launching The Danny Moses Show on Scripps News. He also co-authors a Substack with other veterans featured in The Big Short, keeping the conversation going around risk, leverage, and the blind spots markets develop.

The pattern is familiar. The biggest dangers aren't buried in complex financial instruments or obscure derivatives.

They're sitting right in front of us, waiting for someone to actually look.

Big Short Investor Danny Moses Sounds Alarm on $39 Trillion Debt Crisis Nobody's Pricing In

MarketDash Editorial Team
2 days ago
Danny Moses, known for his role in The Big Short, warns that markets are overlooking a massive risk: U.S. fiscal policy, mounting national debt approaching $39 trillion, and the potential for an inflation-driven crisis that could shake the dollar's global standing.

Get Market Alerts

Weekly insights + SMS alerts

The best investors don't just find opportunities everyone else missed. They spot risks everyone else is actively ignoring. That's what made The Big Short work, and it's exactly what Danny Moses thinks is happening right now.

Except this time, the overlooked risk isn't subprime mortgages or credit default swaps. It's something far more fundamental: U.S. fiscal policy and a national debt load quietly creeping toward $39 trillion.

Markets Are Betting on a Rescue That May Not Come

In an exclusive interview, Moses explained that markets are pricing in a fantasy scenario where everything works out smoothly. Investors expect a dovish Fed chair to ride in on a white horse, quantitative easing to be deployed at the first sign of trouble, and policymakers to prevent any real pain.

That's a comfortable story. It might also be wrong.

"We continue to ignore our national debt," Moses said, pointing out it's "approaching $39 trillion and growing." The problem isn't just the size. It's that markets treat this mounting debt as a distant, theoretical concern rather than an immediate threat.

Short-Term Thinking, Long-Term Trouble

Here's where it gets interesting. To manage all that debt, the U.S. Treasury has leaned heavily on short-term bills instead of locking in rates with longer-duration bonds. Moses called this strategy a "short-term fix" that creates a new vulnerability.

"By definition, it increases refinancing risk," he warned.

Translation: if inflation comes roaring back, the government will be forced to refinance enormous amounts of debt at much higher rates. That's not just expensive. It's potentially destabilizing.

Get Market Alerts

Weekly insights + SMS (optional)

The Dollar's Dominance Isn't Guaranteed Forever

So what happens if policy mistakes pile up? Moses laid out a scenario markets aren't prepared for: "a spike in U.S. Treasuries (10 year yields) and a steep decline in the US$."

That combination doesn't just hurt portfolios. It can "accelerate inflation" by making imports more expensive, creating a vicious cycle that's hard to break. Even more concerning, Moses warned it could "put the $ reserve status in the world at risk."

He's not predicting the dollar loses its throne tomorrow. But he is pointing to erosion, the kind of slow confidence drain that markets don't price in until it's already happening.

The timing matters here. This week, Moses announced he's launching The Danny Moses Show on Scripps News. He also co-authors a Substack with other veterans featured in The Big Short, keeping the conversation going around risk, leverage, and the blind spots markets develop.

The pattern is familiar. The biggest dangers aren't buried in complex financial instruments or obscure derivatives.

They're sitting right in front of us, waiting for someone to actually look.