That claim about three Chinese spy balloons on Trump's watch is deflating fast

[mystery-ak]

February 5, 2023
That claim about three Chinese spy balloons on Trump's watch is deflating fast
By Monica Showalter

The Milley boys at the Pentagon have come up with a new public relations "save" for Joe Biden and his pathetic indecisiveness about a China spy balloon brazenly traversing the continental United States until it was shot down over the Atlantic yesterday.

According to the Pentagon's website, defense.gov:

The balloon did not pose a military or physical threat. Still its intrusion into American airspace over several days was an unacceptable violation of U.S. sovereignty. The official said Chinese balloons briefly transited the continental United States at least three times during the prior administration.

Predictably, the left has seized on that last line and had a field day:

https://twitter.com/JoeNBC/status/1622226114155266049

more
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2023/02/that_claim_about_three_spy_balloons_on_trumps_watch_is_deflating_fast.html

[Wingnut]

Information suggesting that Chinese spy balloons traveled over the continental United States during the Trump administration was "discovered after" former President Trump left office, a senior administration official told Fox News.

A defense official on Saturday said Chinese spy balloons briefly traveled over the United States at least three times during the Trump administration.

But on Sunday, a senior administration official told Fox News Digital that "U.S. intelligence, not the Biden administration" assesses that "PRC government surveillance balloons transited the continental U.S. 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."

The official told Fox News that "this information was discovered after the [Trump] administration left."

[DB]

So are the Chinese trying to determine how big of a radar reflection is required for detection?

And then attempt to design their aircraft to have a lower reflection signature so that by the time they are detected it is too late?

[mystery-ak]

Story changing fast


February 5, 2023 3:59pm EST
Chinese spy balloons over US during Trump admin 'discovered after' he left office: senior Biden official
Trump and his top defense and national security officials told Fox News Digital it never happened, and that they were never briefed on any Chinese spy balloons

By Brooke Singman | Fox News

Information suggesting that Chinese spy balloons traveled over the continental United States during the Trump administration was "discovered after" former President Trump left office, a senior administration official told Fox News.

A defense official on Saturday said Chinese spy balloons briefly traveled over the United States at least three times during the Trump administration.

Former President Trump and a number of his top national security and defense officials refuted the claim, telling Fox News Digital that it "never happened."

But on Sunday, a senior administration official told Fox News Digital that "U.S. intelligence, not the Biden administration" assesses that "PRC government surveillance balloons transited the continental U.S. 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."

The official told Fox News that "this information was discovered after the [Trump] administration left."

"They went undetected," the official told Fox News Digital.

The official explained that Chinese surveillance balloons are "part of a larger pattern."

more
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/chinese-spy-balloons-over-us-during-trump-admin-discovered-after-he-left-office-senior-biden-official

[Right_in_Virginia]

Greg Price
@greg_price11

Every piece of bad news about the Trump administration immediately leaked to the press. Except 3 Chinese spy balloons. We only learned about that when the Biden administration embarrassed themselves by allowing one to fly over our country.

4:34 PM · Feb 5, 2023

[Right_in_Virginia]

Amber Athey
@amber_athey

The AP appears to have stealth edited its report that claimed Chinese spy balloons flew over the US during the Trump admin.

It was "one admin official" who claimed it happened twice, now it's "US officials" who say it happened "at least three times."

https://thespectator.com/topic/associated-press-chinese-spy-balloon-stealth-edit/

2:18 PM · Feb 5, 2023

[Right_in_Virginia]

Guaranteed Biden repeats this bullshit in his SOTU.   

Republicans should call him a liar and walk out.

[Right_in_Virginia]

"BREAKING: Reporter @BrookeSingman spoke with Esper, Bolton, Grenell and other DOD and intel officials who all deny the anonymous reports of Chinese spy balloons during the Trump administration". (Video)

https://mobile.twitter.com/JackPosobiec/status/1622272513907605510

[Right_in_Virginia]

"I can refute it. Former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper refuted it yesterday. Former Secretary of State and CIA Director Mike Pompeo has refuted it."

"WATCH: Former DNI John Ratcliffe debunks the claim that Chinese spy balloons occupied airspace during the Trump administration."

https://mobile.twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1622268950758178818

[Right_in_Virginia]

[Smokin Joe]

Either it never happened or the JCS and Intel Agencies withheld the information from the rest of the government.

If the latter, that's a serious cause for question, especially in light of Milley's perfidy with the Chinese.

Can you spell TRAITOR?

[mystery-ak]

Now the Biden Admin Claims Chinese Spy Balloons Were Discovered AFTER Trump Left Office
By Rick Moran, Feb 05, 2023

Do you know how investigators can tell if someone is lying? The perp keeps changing his story.

On Saturday, a Biden administration official told several news outlets that Chinese spy balloons briefly traveled over the United States at least three times during the Trump administration. There was only one problem with that statement: it left out some essential information.

As PJ Media’s Matt Margolis carefully documents, just about every major defense and intelligence official from the former Trump administration denied that there were any such incursions by Chinese spy balloons.

So, once again, the Biden administration was forced to change its story. They are now claiming that U.S. intelligence knew of the spy balloons, but sort of forgot to tell anyone — including Donald Trump.

more
https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/rick-moran/2023/02/05/now-the-administration-claims-chinese-spy-balloons-transiting-the-u-s-were-discovered-after-trump-left-office-n1668149

[Idiot]

Now the Biden Admin Claims Chinese Spy Balloons Were Discovered AFTER Trump Left Office
By Rick Moran, Feb 05, 2023

Do you know how investigators can tell if someone is lying? The perp keeps changing his story.

On Saturday, a Biden administration official told several news outlets that Chinese spy balloons briefly traveled over the United States at least three times during the Trump administration. There was only one problem with that statement: it left out some essential information.

As PJ Media’s Matt Margolis carefully documents, just about every major defense and intelligence official from the former Trump administration denied that there were any such incursions by Chinese spy balloons.

So, once again, the Biden administration was forced to change its story. They are now claiming that U.S. intelligence knew of the spy balloons, but sort of forgot to tell anyone — including Donald Trump.

more
https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/rick-moran/2023/02/05/now-the-administration-claims-chinese-spy-balloons-transiting-the-u-s-were-discovered-after-trump-left-office-n1668149

More proof that you can't believe a single thing the Biden Administration says.

[mystery-ak]

 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

[Wingnut]

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.

,,,what difference, at this point, does it make?

[Kamaji]

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

It'll be something like, "a chinese balloon transited U.S. airspace off the coast of Guam for a few hours" or something else ridiculous like that.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Either it never happened or the JCS and Intel Agencies withheld the information from the rest of the government.

If the latter, that's a serious cause for question, especially in light of Milley's perfidy with the Chinese.

Can you spell TRAITOR?

Jack Posobiec
@JackPosobiec

Did Chinese spy balloons fly near the US during the Trump administration and Milley deliberately withheld the intel from the White House?

9:45 PM · Feb 5, 2023

Let's find out.  Drag Milley's fat ass before Congress and put him under oath.

[bilo]

More proof that you can't believe a single thing the Biden Administration says.

But unfortunately they are master propogandists. They throw out the lie and most people hear it, but when the lie is refuted only those that stay informed hear it.

They are doing the same thing with "MAGA". They make sound like some evil dark undemocratic movement of nazi's and no one hears that MAGA stands for Make America Great Again.

[christian]

Joe giving/selling free security/surveillance to the Chinese doesn't matter even a little bit, the sacred lies and dementia makes Joe utterly unaccountable.  Accusing Trump with a lie saying Trump allowed the same thing, by the noble sacred lies, Trump is guilty-regardless of how innocent Trump is.
Babies don't understand this is the standard by which things are done now by useful fools, liars and deniers?  Is Three years of abusing this standard, is Joe trying to get away with it for too long?
 
Hell is coming for its greatest harvest, liars not withstanding!!!
 

[mountaineer]

Chuck Ross
@ChuckRossDC
Pentagon refuses to identify the “senior defense official” who misled reporters about the 3 China balloon intrusions under Trump.
A spokesperson won’t disclose because briefing was on background. Also won’t say if the official is a political appointee.
2:11 PM · Feb 6, 2023

Free Beacon
Pentagon Won't Explain Misleading Statements About Trump-Era Chinese Spy Balloons
Chuck Ross   
February 6, 2023

The Department of Defense won't identify the Pentagon official who this weekend told reporters that the Trump administration let three Chinese spy balloons fly over the country without noting the critical fact that these incidents went undetected by the military.

The "senior defense official" told journalists in a background conference call Saturday that Chinese government surveillance balloons "transited the continental United States briefly at least three times during the prior administration." Democrats seized on the Pentagon's disclosure to defend President Joe Biden amid outcry that China's balloon was allowed to travel unimpeded for several days across the continental United States, only to see the claim fizzle less than 24 hours later when other anonymous officials said the balloons were discovered only after former president Donald Trump left office.

"This information was discovered after the prior administration left," an official told the Wall Street Journal on Sunday. A senior administration official said the same to CNN, but did not describe when or how those previous intrusions were uncovered.

The initial statement from the "senior defense official" gave no indication that the military failed to detect the balloons, putting Trump's administration in a much different situation than Biden's. ...