Physics doesn't care about money. Trillions of dollars doesn't give you the capabilities to generate and control incredible amounts of energy. For this reason I say that any directed energy weapons we do have are weak and mostly ineffective. They are likely just exaggerated stories intended to invoke fear in those who don't understand physics and like to be scared. Why actually try to build scary death rays when all you need to do is give people the impression that you already have scary death rays? Fear is all that matters since that is what they use to control people.