The Biden administration initially sought to keep the incident involving a Chinese spy balloon secret, according to an NBC News report disclosed on Friday.
On January 27, a conversation took place between Gen. Mark Milley and NORAD chief Gen. Glen VanHerck, with the administration allegedly intending to allow the device to pass unnoticed.
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A former official revealed that there was an initial plan to study the balloon covertly without informing Congress or the public.
A senior Biden administration official denied any attempt to conceal the balloon, stating that any secrecy was aimed at protecting intelligence interests related to tracking the device.
The official emphasized that there was no intention to withhold information from Congress. Subsequently, U.S. military jets dispatched from Alaska confirmed that the object was a Chinese spy balloon equipped with surveillance gear but no offensive weapons.
President Joe Biden ultimately ordered the balloon, which traversed the continental United States, to be shot down after reportedly collecting intelligence from sensitive military sites.
The incident raised concerns as the balloon covered several states and potentially passed over other sensitive military locations before being destroyed on February 4.
Video footage captured the moment the device fell out of the sky. In June, Biden reportedly disclosed "sensitive" U.S. intelligence about the Chinese spy balloon during a fundraising event in California, surprising U.S. officials.
The administration's handling of the incident has drawn attention and scrutiny, especially regarding the initial decision to keep it covert.
The revelation about the Biden administration's initial intent to keep the Chinese spy balloon incident secret has sparked concerns and questions about transparency and national security.
The incident, which involved a Chinese spy balloon equipped with surveillance equipment traversing the United States, became a matter of public interest after it was eventually shot down in February.
Critics argue that the decision to initially keep the incident under wraps raises issues of accountability and the public's right to know about potential security threats.
The administration's clarification that any secrecy was aimed at protecting intelligence has not been convincing, leaving many Americans with questions over what really happened and if any national security issues have been compromised under Biden. The issue further erodes mistrust in an administration with many close Chinese connections that have given concerns over the future of America's security.
