“Look, the total amount of intelligence gathering that’s going on by every country around the world is overwhelming.”
The spy balloon, downed by a US fighter jet last Saturday after spending days traversing US airspace, wasantennas capable of collecting communications signals and other intelligence-gathering materials, according to the State Department.
When asked if he regretted waiting so long before having the spy craft obliterated, Biden responded, “No.” President Joe Biden walks on the South Lawn after returning to the White House on Marine One on Feb. 9, 2023 in Washington, DC.“I said I wanted it shot down as soon as possible and [the intelligence community and Defense Department] were worried about the damage that can be done even in a big state like Montana,” the president said.
“This thing was gigantic. What happened if it came down and hit a school in a rural area? So, I told them as soon as they can shoot it down, shoot it down. They made a wise decision,” Biden added. A Pentagon official said Thursday that downing the craft as it hovered near Alaska would’ve made recovering the balloon’s payload
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