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The U.S. military shot down a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon on Saturday off the coast of South Carolina after it floated for days through U.S. airspace.
Republicans have blasted Biden for the delay in taking down the balloon, however reports have emerged that at least three similar “spy” aircraft were spotted over the U.S. during former President Trump’s time in office.
Fox News also reported Sunday that another balloon crashed off the coast of Hawaii late last year.
Here’s what we know about the past sightings:Three sightings during Trump administration
Senior U.S. defense and military officials said Sunday that Chinese balloons similar to the one shot down by the Biden administration flew over the U.S. at least three times while Trump was in the White House.
“PRC government surveillance balloons transited the continental United States briefly at least three times during the prior administration and once that we know of at the beginning of this administration, but never for this duration of time,” a Pentagon official said.
President Trump on Sunday denied the claims that the balloons had entered U.S. airspace during his presidency, saying on Truth Social that “China had too much respect for ‘TRUMP’ for this to have happened.”
Trump-era national security adviser John Bolton didn’t categorically say the balloons hadn’t crossed the U.S., but told Fox News on Sunday that he not aware of any such incidents during his tenure.
