The Biden White House and Defense Department originally claimed that the Chinese spy balloon first appeared on their radar (literally) at the time a reporter spotted it over Montana. Since then the explanations and excuses have been shifting constantly.
CNN reported last week that the Defense Intelligence Agency had spotted the balloon a day before it reached Alaska:
A day before a Chinese surveillance balloon entered US airspace, the DIA quietly sent an internal report warning of a foreign object heading towards the US…
The previously unreported timeline, from @KatieBoLillis @MarquardtA @NatashaBertrand @ZcohenCNN https://t.co/5anGefZsYv
— Haley Britzky (@halbritz) February 9, 2023
Now it’s being reported that U.S. officials had been watching the balloon since it was sent into the air:
BREAKING: CBS News has learned that U.S. intelligence watched the Chinese spy balloon as it lifted off near China's south coast, meaning the U.S. military had been tracking it for nearly a week before it entered U.S. airspace. pic.twitter.com/oaR5yZIRwm
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) February 15, 2023
If this is true it would mean U.S. intel — and presumably at least somebody in the Biden White House — knew of the balloon’s existence days and days before it reached the U.S. Then they watched it float across the entire country collecting data before shooting it down off the Carolina coast while Dems & media praised Biden’s decisive action.
So we could have shot it down as soon as it was about to enter U.S. airspace but Biden wisely decided to wait until it had completed its scan of U.S. military bases. https://t.co/RsieLGgwbl
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) February 15, 2023
Recommended
CBS is reporting the US had been tracking the Chinese spy balloon since it lifted off a week ago in China. If true, this makes it even more indefensible that Biden didn’t shoot this thing down over Alaska. pic.twitter.com/UfaK8pM6w7
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) February 15, 2023
This story just keeps evolving:
U.S. intelligence officials were tracking the spy balloon that was shot down earlier this month since it lifted off from the south coast of China, U.S. officials said Tuesday.
According to U.S. officials, after takeoff, the spy balloon drifted east in the direction of Guam and Hawaii and then went north to Alaska and entered U.S. airspace on Jan. 28. Given the path, it’s possible that the balloon was blown off course by weather, but U.S. officials said that once it came south over the continental United States, it was being controlled by China.
Add this to the already long list of indefensible Biden administration actions (or inactions) that House Republicans need to have hearings about.
Team Biden spent the last few months ignoring and downplaying Chinese malign behavior, even more than usual. They were too invested in the Blinken visit set for Feb 5, which would then set up reengaging China in 2023, especially on climate. We're just starting to see the results. https://t.co/tNWSDyDqXD
— Omri Ceren (@omriceren) February 15, 2023
Later on of course more “objects” were shot down that may or may not turn out to be weather balloons. The “most transparent administration ever” isn’t being forthcoming with details about the other “objects” that have been shot down.
Heckuva job, guys. Heckuva job. https://t.co/SLLJKfczgW
— The H2 (@TheH2) February 15, 2023
The Biden White House just keeps trying to outdo the Babylon Bee:
Biden Says He’ll Shoot Down Chinese Spy Balloon As Soon As He’s Done Letting It Spy https://t.co/rdYAnALclI
— The Babylon Bee (@TheBabylonBee) February 3, 2023
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Related:
Biden downplays Chinese spy balloon as ‘not a major breach’ (everybody does it)
John Kirby explains why ‘previous administration’ didn’t detect CCP spy balloons (but Biden did)
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