Ex-DNI Ratcliffe Rejects Claim 3 Chinese Spy Balloons Hovered Over U.S. Under Trump

Former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe The claim that three Chinese spy satellites had been launched by the Chinese has been rejected “transited” the United States during Donald Trump’s presidency.

An alleged Chinese balloon traveled across the lower 48 US states, before being shot off the Carolina coast on Saturday. “unprecedented national security blunder of incalculable damage,” Ratcliffe said during Interview with Fox News Sunday

Anchor Maria Bartiromo asked Ratcliffe to reply to the Department of Defense claim that three Chinese spy balloons entered U.S. Airspace during Trump’s administration. They were not shot down and were not disclosed.

“It’s not true. I can refute it,” Ratcliffe replied. He stated that his view was supported by other Trump administration officials. Mark Esper, former Defense SecretaryHe said that he doesn’t recall Chinese surveillance balloons flying over the United States.

Saturday is a Senior U.S. Defense Official said Chinese government surveillance balloons “transited the continental United States 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,” CNN.

Ratcliffe insisted the American people can refute the Biden administration’s claim for themselves.

“Do you remember during the Trump administration when photographers on the ground and commercial airline pilots were talking about a spy balloon over the United States that people could look up and see even with the naked eye and that the media that hated Donald Trump wasn’t reporting? I don’t remember that either because it didn’t happen,” He stated.

Trump himself Issued a denial On Sunday, he shared the following on his social media platforms.

“The Chinese Balloon situation is a disgrace, just like the Afghanistan horror show, and everything else surrounding the grossly incompetent Biden Administration,” Trump posted to Truth Social. “They are only good at cheating in elections, and disinformation — and now they are putting out that a Balloon was put up by China during the Trump Administration, in order to take the ‘heat’ off the slow moving Biden fools. China had too much respect for ‘TRUMP’ for this to have happened, and it NEVER did. JUST FAKE DISINFORMATION!”

The first time the U.S. government published publicly was in 2005. Recognized a suspected reconnaissance balloon On Thursday, it was spotted above Billings, Montana. Near a military base that houses 150 Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles after it traveled above the Aleutian Islands and through Canada.

While China’s government claimed the balloon was a “civilian airship used for research, mainly meteorological purposes” It was essentially a miscalculation. The Pentagon rejected this explanation on Friday and called it a misunderstanding. “maneuverable” surveillance balloon. The Pentagon also expressed concern about the possibility of a balloon being shot down from high above land, creating a hazardous debris field that could pose a threat to those below.

The balloon was hit off the coast South Carolina’s on Saturday. This moment was caught on video. The balloon was brought down by one sidewinder missile of the A9X air-to-air sidewinder missile. According to a senior U.S. Military official. According to the Pentagon: Recovery operation would be next. China’s foreign ministry Responded by condemning The United States “an excessive reaction that seriously violates international convention” And warned Beijing “retains the right to respond further.”

Ratcliffe, a former U.S. congressman who served as the nation’s spy chief from May 2020 until the end of Trump’s administration in January 2021, called it an “incredibly successful intelligence operation” For China. He said that other foreign adversaries like Russia, Iran, and North Korea were watching and likely to follow suit. “thrilled” They are amazed at the opportunities this scenario offers.

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