Biden says Chinese spy balloon ‘NOT a major breach’

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President Joe Biden has insisted the Chinese spy balloon that flew over the U.S. was ‘not a major breach’, despite its ability to collect Americans’ communications.

‘It’s not a major breach. Look, the total amount of intelligence gathering that’s going on by every country around the world is overwhelming,’ the 80-year-old told Noticias Telemundo on Thursday night.

His comments came just hours after the State Department said the airship shot down over the weekend was part of a vast Beijing surveillance network.

The balloon had multiple antennas that were likely capable of collecting and geo-locating communications and flew over military bases housing U.S. missiles.

Biden did admit that China sending the balloon was a ‘violation of international law’ – and is now said to be considering a response.

Biden says Chinese spy balloon ‘NOT a major breach’

President Joe Biden has insisted the Chinese spy balloon that flew over the U.S. was ‘not a major breach’, despite its ability to collect Americans’ communications 

In this image provided by the FBI, special agents assigned to the evidence response team process material recovered from the high altitude balloon recovered off the coast of South Carolina

In this image provided by the FBI, special agents assigned to the evidence response team process material recovered from the high altitude balloon recovered off the coast of South Carolina

The President has faced questions from Republicans over why the balloon was allowed to traverse the United States and some of its military bases for days before it was downed off the coast of South Carolina. 

US intelligence links the program directly to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), China’s principal military force. 

Air Force jets shot down the balloon, which kicked off public furor over Beijing’s spying tactics, on Saturday.

It was first detected crossing US territory on January 28, briefly passing over Canada, then traversing several states in the continental US before it was brought down on February 4. 

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Biden gave the order to shoot it down on Wednesday last week but Defense officials cautioned that it would be safer to do so when the falling debris no longer posed a risk to Americans on the ground.

Most of the debris is still underwater as of Thursday, according to FBI officials who briefed reporters on the recovery.

‘It’s very early for us in this process, and the evidence that has been recovered and brought to the FBI is extremely limited,’ an official said.

In the interview, Biden also dismissed polling that showed there were concerns about his age as he contemplates running for a second term.

China 's 'spy balloon' that unnerved millions of Americans is part of a larger global surveillance plot by Beijing 's authoritarian government, a report claimed on Wednesday

China ‘s ‘spy balloon’ that unnerved millions of Americans is part of a larger global surveillance plot by Beijing ‘s authoritarian government, a report claimed on Wednesday

A Navy sailor assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 2 conducts a search for debris off the coast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

A Navy sailor assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 2 conducts a search for debris off the coast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 

He also said Thursday that he has ‘no idea’ if running against 44-year-old Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis would be different than another run against former President Donald Trump.

‘Look, do you know any polling that’s accurate these days?’ he asked Noticias Telemundo’s Julio Vaqueiro during a brief sit-down conducted during the president’s visit to Tampa, Florida. 

He told Vaqueiro not to hold him to the number, ‘but I think you have to make something like 51 calls to get one through. And ask any pollster how accurate they think their polling is,’ Biden said. 

‘But look, it may be that, you know, I run, I get clobbered. And if I run, I win,’ the president said, adding that caveat that his ability to win or not wasn’t coloring his decision. ‘That’s not the basis upon which I make the judgment,’ he said. 

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On whether he’s made a decision to run, Biden gave the same answer to Vaqueiro that he gave PBS NewsHour’s Judy Woodruff on Wednesday: not yet. 

‘I’m just not ready to make it,’ he explained. 

Biden also tried to give the impression that he wasn’t paying attention to the developing Republican field. 

‘I have no idea,’ he responded when Vaqueiro asked if there was a difference between running against Trump or DeSantis. 

‘No, I’m serious. I have no idea,’ Biden added.  

Vaqueiro then specified if the president thought there would be a difference ‘in terms of polarization.’ 

‘No, I don’t think so,’ Biden answered. ‘Because I think that they have a similar modus operandi, a similar way in which they work.’ 

'It's very early for us in this process, and the evidence that has been recovered and brought to the FBI is extremely limited,' an FBI official said

‘It’s very early for us in this process, and the evidence that has been recovered and brought to the FBI is extremely limited,’ an FBI official said

The suspected Chinese spy balloon crossed several US states before being shot down on Saturday

The suspected Chinese spy balloon crossed several US states before being shot down on Saturday

‘But I really don’t know. I’ve never decided to run or not run based on who the opponent will be,’ the president added. 

Trump, who announced in November that he would compete in the Republican presidential primary again, has been launching a series of attacks at DeSantis, a former political ally who has built a national profile in part by taking on ‘woke’ liberal policies. 

DeSantis has yet to announce whether he’ll seek the White House. 

Trump’s former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley is expected to announce her bid next week, while South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott is also heading out to early primary states. 

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During the brief interview, Biden also denied there were plans in the works for mass deportations of non-Mexicans back to Mexico, as reported Wednesday. 

‘What you just said is completely wrong,’ Biden told Vaqueiro.

He added: ‘I don’t think we have to do that’ after Title 42 is lifted because he believed migrants from Nicaragua, El Salvador, Haiti, Venezuela and Cuba were making use of the administration’s program that allowed them to enter the U.S. legally. 

On a lighter note, Biden said he would be watching the Super Bowl at home, because first lady Jill Biden told him he’d create too much of a problem if he went to see it live. 

Dr. Biden, a diehard Philadelphia Eagles fan, plans to attend. 

He took Vaqueiro’s suggestion to eat ‘guacamole’ and ‘chocolate chip ice cream’ during the game. 

And he also admitted his Spanish remains poor. 

‘Terrible, but Jill’s trying to learn it too. She’s doing it,’ the president said. 

He recalled how the late Texas Sen. Lloyd Bentsen had told him: ‘You know, I think someday you’re going to be president … But if you’re going to be, you’ve got to learn to speak Spanish,’ Biden said.

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