Four unidentified flying objects have made their way across North American airspace since the end of January, and were subsequently shot down. While the first object was identified as a Chinese-owned surveillance balloon, U.S. lawmakers say they are no closer to discovering the truth behind the other three.
China claimed the first balloon discovered flying into Montana was a weather sensory device that had flown off course, but the debris recovered after it was shot down told a different story. The FBI found the balloon did indeed have weather surveillance equipment, albeit of low quality, but noted that the balloon’s path had taken it directly over military installations.
The Chinese government clapped back, accusing the U.S. of sending surveillance balloons into its airspace, but provided no additional details or evidence that it had occurred.
But now lawmakers are confused about three subsequent flying objects that have since been shot down but not recovered. A classified briefing on Tuesday left Senators knowing only one sure thing: the UFOs were not aliens.
Beyond that, we’re left in the dark, facing an uncertain conclusion to events that seem to come straight out of a sci-fi movie. The Senator’s responses to the UFOs are less than reassuring and show signs of obvious distress.
Scroll through to see both parties’ reactions as captured by reporters and posted online.
Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA)
Kennedy said in a statement to reporters: “I understand the need for national security secrets, but now that this cow is out of the barn, the president and the director of national intelligence need to address it. They need to explain to the American people if they know, and I’m not sure they know if they know, they’re not telling us… what these things are, who put them up there, and do they pose a threat to the American people? And if the answer is “no,” how do they know that?
“The only thing I feel confident saying right now is that if you are confused, you understand the situation perfectly.”
“This has been going on for a long, long time. At least 2017, last week we were told 2019… that’s what I took away from it today. So, lock your doors tonight.”
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
Blumenthal told The Hill: “The American people should be given more information — they can handle it, and they need and deserve to know. Whether it’s the president personally — he can’t go on national TV every evening. But Congress has an obligation, as well, to inform.”
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AL)
Politico reported Murkowski said: “The most troublesome aspect is: What’s going on? Where are they coming from? Who is behind them? We get weather balloons, we understand weather balloons. But if it’s not weather balloons, what are they? Who is sending them? That bothers me.”
Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT)
NBC News reported Tester said: “I think [Biden] … probably wants to get as much information as he can before he steps in front of the mic would be my guess.”
“I think he should address people at some point.”
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL)
Rubio told CBS News: “What’s new is that they were shot down, which is extraordinary because we’ve never shot down any of these things over 65 years of NORAD [North American Aerospace Defence Command], and over one weekend, we shot down three things. The bigger concern now is what are they and what were they doing here?”
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD)
Rounds told Axios: “They’re trying to give us information as best they can, but they don’t have a lot of new data yet. They’re trying to get the data so they can actually give us the information that is supported with hard facts.”
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO)
Hawley told Fox News: “I came out of that briefing thinking that nothing they said added up. Here’s my conclusion: Either they’re lying to us, which is very possible … or they’re totally and completely incompetent. And maybe it’s both.”
“We are not getting straight answers.”
“They didn’t rule anything out other than they don’t think they are balloons on the order of the Chinese balloon, [and] they didn’t think they were aliens.”
Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI)
Axios reported Peters said: “I think we still need more information. They don’t want to make any definitive statements until they’ve actually recovered the debris.”
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR)
Cotton posted on Twitter: “The president owes the American people an explanation, direct and on camera, of what we know about these ‘objects’ and what steps he’s taking to protect America’s sovereign airspace. No commander in chief should hide behind press secretaries and anonymous sources in a time of crisis.”
John Kirby – National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications
Kirby said at a press briefing: “These unidentified aerial phenomena have been reported for many years, without explanation or deep examination by the government.
“President Biden has changed all that. We are finally trying to understand them better.”