I was pretty obvious to me that he wasn't claiming there were weapons on board, rather that "what happens IF such a "benign" balloon shows up with weapons on it".
That's not how I read it. If so, then I apologize.
Of course when asked the question, "Do you have any evidence that there were weapons on that balloon?" The straight forward honest answer would have been, "No, I don't have any evidence that there were weapons on board that balloon."
Elementary school level grammar comprehension should make it obvious that the word "shows" is referring to a future event.
I disagree. There is nothing in that wording that would preclude this being one of those events where a benign looking surveillance balloon shows up that is really a weapon.
"So I'm sitting in my apartment, and my girlfriend shows up with two of her hot friends." Is that referring so some future event?
Perhaps you need to brush up on elementary school level grammar comprehension.