Small number of Trump officials were aware of suspected Chinese balloons: report

A small number of intelligence officials under former President Trump were aware of several suspected Chinese balloons that crossed into U.S. airspace during his time in office, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Despite suspicions among some officials that the high-flying objects were from China, a Pentagon assessment never conclusively linked the balloons to Beijing, and information on the incidents was not shared broadly within the Trump administration, the Journal noted.

At least three suspected Chinese surveillance balloons briefly hovered over the U.S. during the Trump administration, in addition to one such incident that occurred earlier in the Biden administration, a senior Pentagon official said earlier this month. 

Several former Trump officials have said they were unaware of the balloons’ incursions on U.S. airspace and expressed frustration about the lack of notification. 

The Biden administration briefed former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former National Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe and former national security adviser Robert O’Brien on Wednesday about China’s high-altitude surveillance program and the previous incidents, according to NBC News. Former national security adviser John Bolton was also briefed separately.

The revelations about the suspected Chinese spy balloons come after one spent a week traversing the U.S. earlier this month, before being shot down by the U.S. military off the coast of South Carolina.

President Biden has defended his decision to wait to down the balloon until it was over open water, citing the safety risk of shooting it down over land. However, he has faced heavy criticism from Republicans over the delayed response.

Since then, three additional flying objects were shot down last weekend after briefly crossing into U.S. airspace. However, Biden said on Thursday that these objects were likely connected to a private company or research institution. 

“We don’t yet know exactly what these three objects were, but nothing right now suggests they were related to China’s spy balloon program or that they were surveillance vehicles from any other country,” he said in prepared remarks at the White House.