In January of last year, the Biden administration was reportedly aware of a Chinese surveillance balloon traversing the United States, from Alaska to the Carolinas.
However, it is alleged that the administration sought to keep this information from the American public.
The balloon, which was first spotted by a newspaper photographer over Montana, entered US airspace over Alaska in late January. Despite President Joe Biden and General Mark Milley being aware of the balloon's presence, the decision was made not to take immediate action.
The surveillance balloon, with the alleged approval of President Biden, soared over various strategic locations, including nuclear silos and military installations across the United States. It was eventually shot down over the Atlantic, just off the coast of the Carolinas.
According to the Pentagon, the balloon was equipped with self-detonating explosives, stood at a height of 200 feet, and weighed several thousand pounds. Despite the potential threat it posed, the Biden administration reportedly chose to keep its existence a secret from the American public.
Furthermore, the Gang of Eight Congressional leaders were not informed about this significant security breach by the Chinese. Retired General Mark Milley, who was aware of the balloon, followed the administration's lead and also kept the information from the public.
NBC reported on a phone call that took place on a Friday evening in January between Gen. Glen VanHerck, the Air Force commander in charge of defending American airspace from intrusion, and President Bidens top military adviser, Gen. Mark Milley. During this call, VanHerck informed Milley that U.S. intelligence officials had been tracking a mysterious object flying over the Asia-Pacific for approximately ten days. The object had crossed into U.S. airspace over Alaska, and VanHerck planned to dispatch military jets to fly alongside it and attempt to assess what it was.
This previously unreported phone call between Milley and VanHerck triggered an eight-day scramble within the Biden administration to respond to the Chinese spy balloon, which was the size of three school buses and floating over the U.S.
The spy balloon's presence highlighted China's increasingly bold competitive advances miles above the Earth and contributed to a significant low point in the relationship between the two nations.
Administration officials initially hoped to keep the balloon's existence a secret from both the public and Congress, according to multiple former and current administration and congressional officials.
A former senior U.S. official briefed on the balloon incident stated, Before it was spotted publicly, there was the intention to study it and let it pass over and not ever tell anyone about it. This incident raises serious questions about the transparency and decision-making of the Biden administration in matters of national security.
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