White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Thursday refused to confirm reports claiming US Intelligence watched the spy balloon lift off near China’s south coast.
CBS News on Tuesday night reported US Intelligence actually saw the spy balloon lift off near China’s south coast and tracked it for nearly a week before it entered US airspace.
“U.S. intelligence watched the Chinese spy balloon as it lifted off near China’s south coast, meaning the U.S. military had been tracking it for nearly a week before it entered U.S. airspace. Longer than originally know,” CBS News reported.
“What they saw was this balloon heading east from China towards Guam and Hawaii, but then it took a sharp northward turn – a beeline towards Alaska!” CBS reported.
Via CBS News:
BREAKING: CBS News has learned that U.S. intelligence watched the Chinese spy balloon as it lifted off near China's south coast, meaning the U.S. military had been tracking it for nearly a week before it entered U.S. airspace. pic.twitter.com/oaR5yZIRwm
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) February 15, 2023
The China spy balloon then floated over sensitive military installations and nuclear silos with Joe Biden’s full approval.
A reporter on Thursday asked Karine Jean-Pierre about the CBS report.
“When did the US first begin tracking the balloon? Was when it first took off from Hainan Island?
Of course she refused to answer the question.
“So that’s a good question,” she said as she referred the reporter to the Pentagon.
WATCH:
