We now know the Chinese spy balloon did, in fact, collect sensitive intelligence from U.S. military sites as Biden let it traverse the country. We also know the Biden administration spent weeks lying about it.
Neither are a surprise.
For weeks, the Biden administration insisted they had protected sensitive sites from Chinese spying:
- Secretary Antony Blinken (February 2): “Once we detected the balloon, the U.S. government acted immediately to protect against the collection of sensitive information.”
- Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre (February 3): “We acted immediately to take all necessary steps to protect against foreign intelligence collection of sensitive information.”
- Secretary Pete Buttigieg (February 5): “The U.S. has stated that steps were taken to prevent any problems in terms of intelligence collection.”
- National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan (February 6): “We were also able to ensure the protection of any sensitive information that the balloon would not be able to collect against us.”
- Jean-Pierre (February 6): “We protected against Chinese intelligence collection … we gained more intel while protecting our own sensitive information.”
- Deputy Secretary Wendy Sherman (February 9): “The Biden-Harris administration responded swiftly to protect Americans and safeguard against the balloon’s collection of sensitive information.”
- Jean-Pierre (February 9): “…protecting our own sensitive intelligence and maximizing our ability to track the balloon.”
- Spokesman John Kirby (February 10): “We were able to take steps at sensitive military sites … to significantly curtail any intelligence ability that the Chinese could get from the balloon.”
- Jean-Pierre (February 14): “We were able to protect our security data on the ground.”
- Biden (February 16): “We were able to protect sensitive sites against collection.”
- Blinken (February 19): “We took action to protect sensitive information on the ground that it was attempting to surveil.”
- Blinken (February 19): “We protected the sensitive information that it was trying to surveil.”
- Jean-Pierre (March 1): “We protected our national security information on the ground.”
Meanwhile, Biden still hasn’t pressed the issue with his old friend Xi Jinping despite repeated promises to do so.
Another foreign policy blunder by the Biden administration.
