Earlier this year one of the big stories came about when a Chinese spy balloon floated across the entire United States for several days, occasionally taking the time to hover high above sensitive U.S. military sites before heading out over the Atlantic Ocean where it was shot down.
The Defense Department said at the time that the White House waited until the balloon had traveled over the entire country before shooting it down over water so nobody on the ground would be at risk:
President Joe Biden ordered the action on Wednesday, but it was delayed until the balloon was over water off the coast of South Carolina to ensure no Americans on the ground were harmed.
"The balloon, which was being used by the PRC in an attempt to surveil strategic sites in the continental United States, was brought down above U.S. territorial waters," Austin said.
The action was taken in coordination and support of the Canadian government. "We thank Canada for its contribution to tracking and analysis of the balloon through [North American Aerospace Defense Command] as it transited North America," Austin said.
However, that didn't happen before a trove of data was collected and transmitted to China. It was yet another embarrassment for Biden and his administration, but shortly after the balloon was shot down, Biden tried to make everybody believe it was an embarrassment for the Chinese leadership.
This is what Biden said shortly after the balloon was shot down:
Biden says the Chinese spy balloon he let surveil the entire United States before shooting it down over the ocean "was more embarrassing than it was intentional" for China. pic.twitter.com/PeyyYfqwJ1
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 17, 2023
It was embarrassing alright, but not for China.
Now we're learning even more. NBC News has reported that the Biden administration was hoping to hide the existence of the Chinese balloon from the media and Congress, but that was ruined after the object was spotted over the western U.S.:
HOLY CRAP this story per @NBCNews
— John Hasson (@SonofHas) December 23, 2023
When the Biden Admin discovered the Chinese spy balloon, they wanted to hide its existence from CONGRESS
Their plans were ruined by news outlets reporting on the balloon pic.twitter.com/vFtsvaOMpa
From NBC News:
Administration officials at first hoped to conceal the balloon’s existence from the public, and from Congress, according to multiple former and current administration and congressional officials.
“Before it was spotted publicly, there was the intention to study it and let it pass over and not ever tell anyone about it,” said a former senior U.S. official briefed on the balloon incident.
The story went on to say that the Biden White House "denied that there was an effort to keep the balloon secret." That of course means that there was an effort to keep the balloon secret.
Also insane: China planned for the balloon to self-destruct after crossing the US
— John Hasson (@SonofHas) December 23, 2023
That means when Biden shot the balloon down only after it reached the east coast—he basically did China’s work for them pic.twitter.com/mAPH6GIwZZ
Why are we not surprised?
One heck of a Friday before Christmas news dump: https://t.co/0QvswRYQb5
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) December 23, 2023
"Don't look up" https://t.co/Mqn4DjvU4B
— Eric Richards (@EricRichards22) December 23, 2023
The "don't look up" strategy proved to be just as effective as the Biden White House's "just don't" doctrine to warn U.S. enemies not to fire rockets toward our military installations.
And of course, because this administration is absolutely shameless, they tried to use the whole situation to take a swipe at Biden's predecessor.
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