Daines Statement on Latest Report that Chinese Spy Balloon Gathered Intelligence Over U.S. Military Sites

Press Release

Senator Daines today issued the following statement after a new report indicates that the Chinese spy balloon that travelled over Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana's ICBMs and the rest of the country was collecting intelligence and sending information back to China despite the Biden administration's denial that was occurring.

"The Chinese Communist Party didn't send a spy balloon over one of our nation's nuclear missile bases to give folks a view of Montana's wonderful scenery. The NBC News story today confirms what Americans knew all along: the Chinese Communist Party was spying and gathering intelligence to use against us. The administration's explanation that the balloon had "limited additive value' is little comfort to Montanans and the American people and weak spin on an issue the administration mishandled from start to finish. This is just the latest national security embarrassment from an administration that continues to project nothing but weakness on the world stage. Unfortunately, when it comes to national security, it has real world consequences."

Daines was the first member of Congress to call on the Biden administration for answers after the spy balloon was spotted over Montana.

Last week, Daines introduced a bill to require a gap analysis of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) capabilities that would expose any limitations that have been or have the potential to be exploited by foreign countries that would allow air assets to enter North American airspace undetected.

Read more about Daines' efforts to hold the administration accountable for this breach of American airspace and ensure this never happens again HERE.

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