Former President Trump denied the Department of Defense's claims that suspected Chinese surveillance balloons had also transited the U.S. during his administration, telling Fox News Digital Sunday that it 'never happened.'
Thursday that the balloon did not present a "military or physical threat to people on the ground" and that similar kinds of balloon activity had been "observed previously over the past several years."Saturday that Chinese government surveillance balloons "transited the continental United States briefly at least three times during the prior administration and once that we know of at the beginning of this administration, but never for this duration of time.
A spokesperson for the Pentagon told Axios Sunday that "at this time we have nothing further to add beyond what was stated during" Saturday's press briefing."It never happened with us under the Trump administration and if it did, we would have shot it down immediately," Trump told Fox News Digital. "It's disinformation."
Trump went on to call the Biden administration "incompetent" and said they had claimed similar incidents had occurred during his presidency because "they look so bad, as usual."national security and defense officials from the Trump administration have also disputed the claims.in the Trump administration, told Fox News Digital that he could "say with 100% certainty" that no such balloon flights took place during his tenure.
“I don’t ever recall somebody coming into my office or reading anything that the Chinese had a surveillance balloon above the United States,” Esper said.Trump's final director of national intelligence, was asked about the Pentagon's claim regarding the three Chinese surveillance balloons during an appearance on Fox News Channel's “
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Donald Trump Warns of Chinese Spies Everywhere in AmericaTrump warned that China has “many thousands of spies working in the United States” in various industries amid a revelation that a Chinese spy balloon is flying over the continental United States.
Read more »
Chinese balloon live updates: Moving eastward, over central US, Pentagon says'A clear violation of U.S. sovereignty and international law.' Sec. Blinken postpones visit to Beijing, calling the presence of a suspected Chinese spy balloon over the U.S. 'detrimental to the substantive discussions that we were prepared to have.'
Read more »
Chinese balloon live updates: Moving eastward, over central US, Pentagon says'We know its a surveillance balloon,' Pentagon says, disputing China's claims that it was a civilian balloon used for meteorological purposes.
Read more »
Pentagon: Debris from suspected Chinese surveillance balloon could cause civilian casualtiesBrig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters that the Pentagon was continuing to monitor a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon as it moves across the U.S. and warned that the potential debris field from shooting it down would be 'significant' and could cause civilian casualties and property damage.
Read more »
Suspected Chinese spy balloon sightings reported across U.S. as Pentagon tracks itA suspected Chinese spy balloon may remain in U.S. airspace “for a few days,” the Pentagon said. Floating at an altitude of 60,000 feet, the balloon is being tracked but is not considered a threat to anyone on the ground. Follow along for live updates.
Read more »