Biden admin offers to brief Trump officials on past Chinese spy balloon incursions
Officials in the last administration denied that the airships had flown over the U.S. on their watch.
By Alexander Ward and Lara Seligman
02/05/2023 05:35 PM EST
Updated: 02/05/2023 09:28 PM EST
The Biden administration is willing to brief former Trump officials on newly discovered intelligence that China sent spy balloons into U.S. airspace during their time in charge.
The offer, described by senior Biden administration officials on Sunday night, comes as former President Donald Trump and senior members of his national security team say they were never briefed on such an incursion by a Beijing-sent aircraft.
“This information was discovered after the prior administration left. The intelligence community is prepared to offer key officials from the Trump administration briefings on [China’s] surveillance program,” one of the officials said. The official, along with several others, asked not to be named in order to discuss sensitive information.
Briefers would also be willing to discuss Beijing’s similar operations in East Asia, South Asia and Europe over the last several years, the official said.
more
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/02/05/trump-officials-deny-chinese-spy-balloons-00081257