• Investing
  • Stock
Round Table Thoughts
  • Economy
  • Editor’s Pick
Home Economy Democrat unloads on Biden decision delaying takedown of Chinese spy balloon, says admin ‘owes America answers’
Economy

Democrat unloads on Biden decision delaying takedown of Chinese spy balloon, says admin ‘owes America answers’

by February 10, 2023
by February 10, 2023 0 comment
Share
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsapp

One Senate Democrat is not happy about the Biden administration’s decision to delay shooting down the Chinese spy balloon that traversed the U.S. for days last week before finally being taken down over the Atlantic Ocean.

During a Thursday Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee hearing, a stern Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., grilled a number of President Biden’s defense officials over the balloon, telling them the administration ‘owes America answers,’ and asking why it was allowed continue on its flight path.

‘Do we have a plan for the next thing that happens and how we are going to deal with it? Because, quite frankly, I’ll just tell you I don’t want a d–n balloon going across the United States when we potentially could have taken it down over the Aleutian Islands … or in some of the areas in Montana,’ Tester said.

‘I understand public health, I understand doing damage, I understand that could have been a nightmare, but the truth is I’ve got a problem with a Chinese balloon flying over my state, much less the rest of the country,’ he added.

One of the officials, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs Melissa Dalton, didn’t directly answer the question, and instead said the administration ‘sent a very clear message’ by shooting down the balloon in sovereign U.S. waters.

Tester asked if there was a plan on how to handle another Chinese balloon should one enter U.S. airspace in the future, noting that no one knew for sure what sort of intelligence the Chinese were trying to collect. 

‘That scares the hell out of me,’ he said.

Dalton responded that as U.S. intelligence learns more about the balloons and their capabilities, they would develop a better understanding how to handle such a scenario going forward.

This is the first instance in which Tester has spoken out on the Biden administration’s decision to delay shooting down the balloon, which it said would have been a potential danger to people or infrastructure on the ground.

He has, however, previously taken a sharp tone over the situation as a whole, declaring it an ‘unacceptable’ provocation from China that Americans deserved answers on from the Biden administration.

The Pentagon first announced it had detected the balloon on Thursday when it was flying over the state of Montana. It was allowed to continue flying until being taken down six nautical miles off the coast of South Carolina on Saturday.

Biden told reporters after the balloon shot down that he ordered it to be taken out on Wednesday, but that defense officials ‘decided that the best time to do that was when it got over water outside within a 12-mile limit.’ 

Earlier this week, senior military and national security official confirmed that the downed balloon was tied to a major surveillance program run by China’s military. The program relies on dated balloon technology along with modern signal surveillance techniques. The balloons travel through the upper atmosphere, hovering between 60,000 and 80,000 feet above Earth, above where commercial jets travel.  

Expect Fox News to confirm more information in the coming days.

Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin and Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.

Brandon Gillespie is an associate editor at Fox News. Follow him on Twitter at @brandon_cg.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
You Might Also Like
  • Reports of Israel’s retaliatory strikes against Iran prompt reactions from lawmakers: ‘Right to defend itself’
  • Sen. Blackburn concerned over Biden supplemental request to aid Gaza after Hamas reportedly stole aid
  • Illinois governor slams sheriffs who vowed to defy gun ban, says law protects school kids, churchgoers
  • Melania Trump returns to campaign trail with pro-LGBT Republican event appearance: report
Share
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsapp

previous post
South Dakota lawmakers move to crack down on Chinese land buys
next post
Georgia county home to Atlanta approves task force to study reparations for Black residents

You may also like

Florida school sends permission slips to learn Black National Anthem,...

January 16, 2023

Who are some of the Biden-appointed judges the Senate just...

December 23, 2023

Trump joins TikTok, the app he once tried to ban...

June 2, 2024

‘Sweetheart’ drug deals with China are a clear and present...

April 3, 2023

Israel, Hamas start 4-day cease-fire in Gaza war, ahead of...

November 24, 2023

Kohl’s Shares Plunge 11%

November 26, 2024

Republicans move to prohibit Biden admin from hurting low-income Americans...

September 15, 2023

Texas soldier who killed armed BLM protestor denied retrial as...

May 4, 2023

GOP lawmaker highlights lingering divides: ‘It’s the conference against the...

November 21, 2023

Top Senate Democrat joins growing chorus of lawmakers breaking from...

May 12, 2024

    Stay updated with the latest news, exclusive offers, and special promotions. Sign up now and be the first to know! As a member, you'll receive curated content, insider tips, and invitations to exclusive events. Don't miss out on being part of something special.


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • DOJ seizes record $225 million in crypto tied to global ‘pig butchering’ scams

      June 19, 2025
    • Feeling Unsure About the Stock Market’s Next Move? These Charts Can Help

      June 18, 2025
    • Amazon expects to cut corporate jobs as it relies more on AI

      June 18, 2025
    • The Secret To Streamlining Your Charting Workflow

      June 18, 2025
    • Joe Rabil’s Undercut & Rally Pattern: From DROP to POP

      June 18, 2025

    Popular Posts

    • 1

      Trump-era China sanctions ended by Biden may be...

      June 27, 2024 2,870 views
    • 2

      Walz’s honeymoon with China gets fresh scrutiny as...

      August 9, 2024 2,574 views
    • 3

      Biden appointee played key role in recruiting Chinese...

      June 25, 2024 2,556 views
    • 4

      Shein’s global ambitions leaves some cybersecurity experts fearful...

      July 10, 2024 2,536 views
    • 5

      Harris VP pick spent years promoting research facility...

      August 29, 2024 2,412 views

    Categories

    • Economy (7,009)
    • Editor's Pick (2,139)
    • Investing (538)
    • Stock (2,619)

    Popular Posts

    • 1

      Trump-era China sanctions ended by Biden may be revived under new House GOP bill

      June 27, 2024
    • 2

      Walz’s honeymoon with China gets fresh scrutiny as Harris camp blasts ‘lying’ critics

      August 9, 2024
    • 3

      Biden appointee played key role in recruiting Chinese businesses to Delaware: ‘Longtime friends’

      June 25, 2024
    • 4

      Shein’s global ambitions leaves some cybersecurity experts fearful of Chinese spy threats

      July 10, 2024
    • 5

      Harris VP pick spent years promoting research facility that collaborated with ‘Chinese military company’

      August 29, 2024

    Latest News

    • DOJ seizes record $225 million in crypto tied to global...

      June 19, 2025
    • Feeling Unsure About the Stock Market’s Next Move? These Charts...

      June 18, 2025
    • Amazon expects to cut corporate jobs as it relies more...

      June 18, 2025

    Categories

    • Economy (7,009)
    • Editor's Pick (2,139)
    • Investing (538)
    • Stock (2,619)

    Disclaimer: RoundTableThoughts.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2024 RoundTableThoughts.com. All Rights Reserved.

    Round Table Thoughts
    • Investing
    • Stock
    Round Table Thoughts
    • Economy
    • Editor’s Pick

    Read alsox

    New poll on President Biden’s mental,...

    May 8, 2023

    Border residents fearful Middle Americans won’t...

    August 23, 2023

    What Republican presidential hopefuls stand to...

    September 25, 2023
    Sign In

    Keep me signed in until I sign out

    Forgot your password?

    Password Recovery

    A new password will be emailed to you.

    Have received a new password? Login here