OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
China has made a stunning admission, declaring that the “spy balloon” that is currently flying over the United States is theirs. The People’s Republic of China said on Friday that the balloon is theirs but claimed it was not meant to enter United States airspace, Fox News reported.
“The airship is from China. It is a civilian airship used for research, mainly meteorological, purposes,” a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Friday. “Affected by the Westerlies and with limited self-steering capability, the airship deviated far from its planned course.”
“The Chinese side regrets the unintended entry of the airship into US airspace due to force majeure. The Chinese side will continue communicating with the US side and properly handle this unexpected situation caused by force majeure,” the spokesperson said.
House Speaker and Republican California Rep. Kevin McCarthy has called for an intelligence briefing on the matter.
“China’s brazen disregard for U.S. sovereignty is a destabilizing action that must be addressed, and President Biden cannot be silent,” he said on Twitter. “I am requesting a Gang of Eight briefings.”
China’s brazen disregard for U.S. sovereignty is a destabilizing action that must be addressed, and President Biden cannot be silent.
I am requesting a Gang of Eight briefing. https://t.co/KarTCUzbOS
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) February 3, 2023
Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder announced the detection of the balloon on Thursday.
“The United States Government has detected and is tracking a high altitude surveillance balloon that is over the continental United States right now. The U.S. government, to include NORAD, continues to track and monitor it closely. The balloon is currently traveling at an altitude well above commercial air traffic and does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground. Instances of this kind of balloon activity have been observed previously over the past several years. Once the balloon was detected, the U.S. government acted immediately to protect against the collection of sensitive information,” he said.
Other Republicans weighed in on what they thought of the situation.
“Biden should shoot down the Chinese spy balloon immediately. President Trump would have never tolerated this. President Trump would have never tolerated many things happening to America,” Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green said.
Biden should shoot down the Chinese spy balloon immediately.
President Trump would have never tolerated this.
President Trump would have never tolerated many things happening to America.
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) February 2, 2023
“Under Biden: Pentagon tracks Chinese Spy Balloon for days over US & does NOT shoot it down. Abandons Americans & $85 billion in US military equipment & arms in Afghanistan. Won’t secure our border- 5+ million people invade. The Biden admin is impotent,” she said.
Under Biden:
Pentagon tracks Chinese Spy Balloon for days over US & does NOT shoot it down.
Abandons Americans & $85 billion in US military equipment & arms in Afghanistan.
Won’t secure our border- 5+ million people invade.
The Biden admin is impotent.https://t.co/QUIDAUfOzx
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) February 3, 2023
“I know I was just named to the Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday but I’m going to go out on a limb and say we shouldn’t have a Chinese spy balloon floating over the United States of America. Take it down,” Sen. Eric Schmitt said.
I know I was just named to the Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday but I’m going to go out on a limb and say we shouldn’t have a Chinese spy balloon floating over the United States of America.
Take it down.
— Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) February 3, 2023
“The only thing to conclude is the CCP must have so much on the Biden family, this administration will not react to any of the CCP provocations. -Cancelled the China initiative, soft on IP theft, COVID 19 origins no questions whatsoever about it and now this,” Fox News host Maria Bartiromo said.
Biden's response to the Chinese spy balloon is literally ripped from the plot of 'Dont Look Up'
— Jack Posobiec 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) February 3, 2023
“Secretary Blinken should cancel his trip to China. And President Biden must answer why he has not secured U.S. airspace,” Sen. Tom Cotton said.
Secretary Blinken should cancel his trip to China.
And President Biden must answer why he has not secured U.S. airspace.https://t.co/PqwFLCpVhN
— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) February 2, 2023
“The Biden Administration is allowing a foreign communist enemy (China) to fly a surveillance balloon over our country to spy on American citizens. In a sane world everyone involved would be impeached and/or fired and the balloon would be shot down,” former Republican candidate Robby Starbuck said.
The Biden Administration is allowing a foreign communist enemy (China) to fly a surveillance balloon over our country to spy on American citizens. In a sane world everyone involved would be impeached and/or fired and the balloon would be shot down. pic.twitter.com/NzGBEjtCJI
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) February 2, 2023
“It was a mistake to not shoot down that Chinese spy balloon when it was over a sparsely populated area This is not some hot air balloon, it has a large payload of sensors roughly the size of two city buses & the ability to maneuver independently,” Sen. Marco Rubio said.
It was a mistake to not shoot down that Chinese spy balloon when it was over a sparsely populated area
This is not some hot air balloon, it has a large payload of sensors roughly the size of two city buses & the ability to maneuver independently
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 3, 2023
“A Chinese spy balloon casually invading our air space for all to see, conducting day after day of espionage in broad daylight undisturbed, is a stark visual demonstration of Joe Biden’s crippling weakness and our excruciating national humiliation,” former advisor to former President Donald Trump, Stephen Miller said.
A Chinese spy balloon casually invading our air space for all to see, conducting day after day of espionage in broad daylight undisturbed, is a stark visual demonstration of Joe Biden’s crippling weakness and our excruciating national humiliation.
— Stephen Miller (@StephenM) February 3, 2023
People are pouring over our borders illegally. Fentanyl is entering America from foreign nations. A Chinese spy balloon is hovering over our country. Does the USA have borders anymore?
Illegal immigration needs to be stopped, fentanyl destroyed and the balloon shot down.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) February 3, 2023
“People are pouring over our borders illegally. Fentanyl is entering America from foreign nations. A Chinese spy balloon is hovering over our country. Does the USA have borders anymore? Illegal immigration needs to be stopped, fentanyl destroyed and the balloon shot down,” former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said.
