Bipartisan Lawmakers Demand Answers After Fourth Flying Object Shot Down
Democratic and Republican lawmakers are demanding President Biden provide “maximum transparency” on what the administration learns about the now four unidentified flying objects that have been shot down over the U.S. and Canada in recent days.
The U.S. military on Sunday shot down another unidentified flying object over Lake Huron in Michigan. It was the third time in as many days and the fourth overall since Feb. 4 that an “unidentified object” was shot down in North America.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) released a statement Sunday confirming that the fourth object was shot down by a F-16 at 2:42 p.m. “at the direction of President Biden, and based on the recommendations of Secretary Austin and military leadership.” The object was flying at 20,000 feet over Lake Huron, according to NORAD.
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The object was shot down because it could have been a “hazard” to “civil aviation,” continued the statement, and there were “no indications” of civilians that were impacted. NORAD said a team is working to recover the object in “an effort to learn more.”
Montana GOP Sen. Steve Daines called the lack of transparency from the Biden administration after the shooting down of a fourth airborne object “unacceptable.” (Photo by Tom Williams-Pool/Getty Images)
However, neither the Pentagon nor NORAD has released additional information whether the object shot down Sunday was related to Chinese surveillance activities that led to the shooting down of a massive floating balloon last week over the coast of South Carolina, or other two floating objects shot down over Alaska and Canada.
A senior U.S. official told Fox News Sunday that the unidentified “objects” the U.S. shot down over Canada and Alaska are both believed to be balloons that were carrying a payload.
BOTH ‘OBJECTS’ SHOT DOWN OVER ALASKA, CANADA BELIEVED TO BE BALLOONS, US SAYS
Montana GOP Sen. Steve Daines called the lack of transparency from the Biden administration after the shooting down of a fourth airborne object “unacceptable.”
“The lack of communication from the Biden administration regarding the closing of Montana airspace last night and the recent shoot-downs that took place over Alaska and Canada is unacceptable,” Daines said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital.
“The top priority of the administration should be the safety and security of the people of the United States and keeping the American people informed is a key part of fulfilling that duty,” Daines continued. “President Biden owes Montanans and the country an immediate and full explanation. Without information, the public and media are left to rely on leaks, speculation and worst of all disinformation from foreign governments.”
“I appreciate DoD’s notification to my office of the actions they took in downing yet another ‘foreign object’ over Lake Huron,” said Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis.
“Maximum transparency on what they learn about these objects is essential,” Johnson continued. “We need to preemptively take the necessary steps to keep our nation safe. Purchase of replacement Large Power Transformers is a must to protect the nation’s electrical grid.”
Rep. Slotkin, D-Mich., committed to asking for Congress to receive a “full briefing” on what happened Sunday.
Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Mich., said Sunday “the American people deserve far more answers than we have.”
Another Michigan Rep. Lisa McClain said that more answers are warranted.
“I have been keeping a close eye on the military’s actions over the Great Lakes today. Our state, and the entire country, deserve answers to what happened, and I will ensure we get them.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said that “lack of briefings” by the Biden administration on the objects is noticeable.
“There’s been space junk, weather balloons, spy balloons, and military advancements for years. All of sudden world super powers are shooting unidentified objects down,” she tweeted Sunday. “This looks like a testing of military prowess. Lack of evidence and briefings are extremely noticeable.”
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GOP Gov. Greg Gianforte of Montana tweeted his thanks for the military taking action to protect “our homeland.”
“This afternoon, I learned the object identified in Montana airspace last night has been brought down over Lake Huron. Thank you to our servicemen and women who responded to protect our homeland.
Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he wishes the Biden administration was “a little quicker to tell us everything that they do know,” because a lack of information contributes to heightened anxiety for Americans.
A balloon flies in the sky over Billings, Montana, U.S. February 1, 2023 in this picture obtained from social media. (Retuers)
Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said the American people “deserve transparency and accountability from the Biden administration.”
“We need to know about the numerous invasions of U.S. airspace,” she continued.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said that the recent unidentified object activity has been “happening for years.”
“The last 72 hours revealed to the public what has happening for years, unidentified aircraft routinely operating over restricted U.S. airspace,” he tweeted.
On Sunday, the U.S. briefly closed the airspace over Lake Michigan; on Saturday night, that was done over rural Montana. Officials Sunday said they were no longer tracking any objects over those locations.
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U.S. officials said the two more recent objects were much smaller in size, different in appearance and flew at lower altitudes than the suspected Chinese spy balloon that fell into the Atlantic Ocean after the U.S. missile strike.
They said the Alaska and Canada objects were not consistent with the fleet of Chinese aerial surveillance balloons that targeted more than 40 countries, stretching back at least into the Trump administration.
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