Three Chinese spy balloons entered the US during the Trump administration, but they were never shot down or publicly disclosed. 

In reporting the latest of the Chinese balloon shot down off the coast of South Carolina on Saturday, The US Department of Defense said three other of these crafts 'briefly transited the continental United States at least three times during the prior administration.' 

The revelation startled Mark Esper, the former Secretary of Defense, and comes as Trump and other Republicans claimed he would have shot down the balloon while calling on Joe Biden to resign over the stalled attack on the craft. 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11714657/Three-Chinese-spy-balloons-infiltrated-Trump-administration.html

Also here: 

 

Yes, Chinese Spy Balloons Flew Over The U.S. When President Trump Was In Office Too

https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattnovak/2023/02/04/yes-chinese-spy-balloons-flew-over-the-us-when-president-trump-was-in-office-too/?sh=1efb13193ea3

 

Once again, we see evidence of Republican accusations tiring out to be confessions.

unless all of them were meteorological stations.

Just biden wants some space war action

Not surprising at all in spite of all the bluster tough guy talk trump always surrendered when confronted with a real serious problem he is and what he was first and foremost a fraud and grifter

I don't really care about any balloon.

But a defense like: "The biggest idiot in town behaved worse" is not exactly a very good defense. 

 

 

12 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I don't really care about any balloon.

But a defense like: "The biggest idiot in town behaved worse" is not exactly a very good defense.

He told the Pentagon to shoot it down last Wednesday. They demurred until it crossed the coast. The bobbling heads are gonna fall off soon.

 

CNN are reporting that the Pentagon wanted to shoot it down over water to improve their chances of retrieving it intact. Apart from the safety issues for civilians on land.

Edited February 5, 20233 yr by ozimoron

 I thought it seemed kind of odd that they sent a balloon but then it makes sense if they have done it before with no consequences.   

31 minutes ago, Credo said:

 I thought it seemed kind of odd that they sent a balloon but then it makes sense if they have done it before with no consequences.   

Is it Trumps fault that this balloon accidently flew over the USA  because he didn't shoot the previous balloons down 

3 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Is it Trumps fault that this balloon accidently flew over the USA  because he didn't shoot the previous balloons down 

So, we can gather from that then that you think it's not Biden's fault he didn't shoot this one down?

6 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Is it Trumps fault that this balloon accidently flew over the USA  because he didn't shoot the previous balloons down 

That only makes sense if you swallow the Chinese propaganda.

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Once again, we see evidence of Republican accusations tiring out to be confessions.

Once again - no evidence - just hearsay with no detail. If there were truly three previously under Trump then at least one of them would have made the news. I expect that The Billings Gazette will know. But will they tell?!

4 minutes ago, nauseus said:

Once again - no evidence - just hearsay with no detail. If there were truly three previously under Trump then at least one of them would have made the news. I expect that The Billings Gazette will know. But will they tell?!

From the OP:

 

“The US Department of Defense said three other of these crafts 'briefly transited the continental United States at least three times during the prior administration.' “

2 hours ago, ozimoron said:

So, we can gather from that then that you think it's not Biden's fault he didn't shoot this one down?

Destroying the balloon was the correct choice 

Why did the USA have to destroy the balloon. Surely it would have been more useful if there was some way to quietly intercept and capture it for further forensic examination to ascertain it's exact purpose?

 

 

I have just been watching Chinese National T.V news and they had the World weather forecast and they said they have no idea what the weather will be like next week in America

Just now, soi3eddie said:

Why did the USA have to destroy the balloon. Surely it would have been more useful if there was some way to quietly intercept and capture it for further forensic examination to ascertain it's exact purpose?

 

 

Not easy at 60,000ft. The air force shot it down with a single missile (no warhead) so that the debris would come down in shallow water. The navy is retrieving what they can for evaluation.

A post from unapproved source has been removed.

 

 

4 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Destroying the balloon was the correct choice 

Why how magmanus of you 

Where's your follow up to your post... it has been corrected that it was a lie that there were any balloons flown over the USA by the chinese during Trump.

 

Oh well... as usual no follow up when the lies are found out to be Trump syndrome and not fact... 555

"PRC 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."

 

https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3288618/senior-defense-official-and-senior-military-official-hold-an-off-camera-on-back/

It seems the Pentagon has confirmed that three Chinese balloons flew (or is that drifted?) Over the USA under the Trump administration, several media have reported 

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/3844511-chinese-balloons-flew-over-us-three-times-during-trump-administration-officials/

This explains why the government was sure they were Chinese. Previous experience.

No confirmation yet on the purpose of the latest balloon (I guess Trump allowed the earlier ones to escape as he may have had confirmation they were harmless), although having fallen into 47 feet of water the latest balloon should have been retrieved by now.

It would be helpful if the truth could be revealed as the speculation is driving me crazy. 

 

8 hours ago, nauseus said:

Once again - no evidence - just hearsay with no detail. If there were truly three previously under Trump then at least one of them would have made the news. I expect that The Billings Gazette will know. But will they tell?!

Since this one was visible to to he naked eye, them why did no-one notice the previous three?

2 hours ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

Where's your follow up to your post... it has been corrected that it was a lie that there were any balloons flown over the USA by the chinese during Trump.

 

Oh well... as usual no follow up when the lies are found out to be Trump syndrome and not fact... 555

The US Department of Defense said three other of these crafts 'briefly transited the continental United States at least three times during the prior administration.' “

Space laser Greene just can't help herself to shut up and has to jump in with her snipe at Biden and once again reveal her stupidity. Even ridiculed and condemned by her own party members. 

 

Marjorie Taylor Greene calls on Biden to shoot down Chinese spy balloon, says Trump would have done it already". 

 

"It would be great if an average Joe shot it down because China Joe won't".

 

 

3 hours ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

Where's your follow up to your post... it has been corrected that it was a lie that there were any balloons flown over the USA by the chinese during Trump.

 

Oh well... as usual no follow up when the lies are found out to be Trump syndrome and not fact... 555

Cite your legit sources that "it has been corrected that it was a lie".... according to who? Defense Department? OAN "news"

The term "at least" in "at least three times during the Trump administration" suggests some uncertainty so there could be more.  Now it's being reported in the NYT and elsewhere: 

 

"The information on the three balloon transits in the Trump years was discovered after that administration had left, a senior Biden administration official said on Sunday night."  NYT

 

Sounds like they may be digging through old surveillance data.

10 hours ago, nauseus said:

Once again - no evidence - just hearsay with no detail. If there were truly three previously under Trump then at least one of them would have made the news. I expect that The Billings Gazette will know. But will they tell?!

Weather balloons with surveillance equipment have been crossing borders for more than 70 years, so nothing new really.

 

 

What are ‘spy balloons’ and why are they used?

Surveillance balloons have a long history in espionage, and continue to provide some spying advantages, experts say

 

a good read

 

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/2/5/explainer-what-are-spy-balloons-and-why-are-they-used#:~:text=History of surveillance balloons&text=Primitive forms of surveillance balloons,stretched from 1861 to 1865.

7 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

Why did the USA have to destroy the balloon. Surely it would have been more useful if there was some way to quietly intercept and capture it for further forensic examination to ascertain it's exact purpose?

 

 

Americans like to shoot things. Thats their favorite way to solve problems , with a gun.

Remember when the USSR shot down the U2 spy plane, they are all at it.

What I don't understand is how do you send a balloon anywhere , doesn't it only go where the wind takes it?

2 minutes ago, The Old Bull said:

What I don't understand is how do you send a balloon anywhere , doesn't it only go where the wind takes it?

By riding the various currents that flow at different heights.