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Watch live: McConnell, Senate Republicans hold press briefing

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) addresses reporters after the weekly policy luncheon on Tuesday, January 31, 2023.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and other leaders of the GOP caucus will hold their weekly press conference Tuesday afternoon, following a classified briefing earlier in the day on three unidentified flying objects shot down over North America this past weekend.

Speaking on the Senate floor Monday, McConnell asked a series of questions, including, “What in the world is going on?”

So far, the Biden administration has shared little information about the objects or their origins, except, as White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday, that there is no sign the objects are from outer space. 

A top House Democrat said the objects were “almost certainly” part of China’s spying programs, as they followed the earlier downing of a Chinese spy balloon. However, the White House said Tuesday there was no indication the latter three objects shared the balloon’s origin or purpose.

Biden administration officials have indicated that the increase in incidents involving aerial objects is likely the result of increased surveillance efforts, which has spurred GOP criticism and questions about why the military was not keeping a closer eye on U.S. airspace before.


The Republican senators’ briefing is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET.

Watch the live video above.