Montana politicians comment on Chinese spy balloon
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News from Senator Tester, Senator Daines and Governor Gianforte
BOZEMAN — Several Montana politicians made their thoughts about the Chinese spy balloon known during the week of Feb. 1.
In Bozeman, following reports that a suspected Chinese spy balloon was in U.S. airspace above Billings, U.S. Senator Jon Tester, chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, issued the following statement:
“This provocation is completely unacceptable, and I am in close contact with Department of Defense and Intelligence officials. We are still waiting for real answers on how this happened and what steps the Administration took to protect our country, and I will hold everyone accountable until I get them. I will always defend Montana and our national security from hostile adversaries like China.”
He announced on Feb. 3 that his committee will hold a hearing to demand answers from Biden Administration officials on the suspected Chinese spy balloon that was in U.S. airspace above Billings.
“Montanans value their freedom and privacy and I’ll always fight to defend both,” Tester said. “China’s actions are a clear threat to those values and to America’s national security, and I’m demanding answers from the Biden Administration. I will be pulling people before my committee to get real answers on how this happened, and how we can prevent it from ever happening again.”
Tester will receive a classified briefing in a secure facility upon his return to Washington.
On Feb. 2, U.S. Senator Steve Daines demanded a full briefing from the Biden administration on the situation. Below is part of Daines’ letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin:
“The fact that this balloon was occupying Montana airspace creates significant concern that Malmstrom Air Force Base (AFB) and the United States’ intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) fields are the target of this intelligence gathering mission … As you know, Montana plays a vital national security role by housing nuclear missile silos at Malmstrom AFB. Given the increased hostility and destabilization around the globe aimed at the United States and our allies, I am alarmed by the fact that this spy balloon was able to infiltrate the airspace of our country and Montana.”
Senator Daines hosted a press call to discuss the Chinese spy balloon that was floating over Montana on Friday, Feb. 3.
In Helena Governor Gianforte asked “What actions are being taken by DoD and the administration to take down the CCP’s spy balloon? If there are none, why not?”
“On behalf of the people of Montana, I write to demand answers on the Chinese Communist Party’s spy balloon which has infiltrated United States airspace, flown over the State of Montana, and continues to traverse our airspace,” Gov. Gianforte wrote to Lloyd Austin, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). “Ultimately, the chief responsibility of government is to ensure the safety and security of the American people. The people of the United States and Montana deserve full, prompt answers.”
The questions the governor posed on behalf of Montanans include when the CCP’s spy balloon infiltrated U.S. airspace, what intelligence the DoD believes the CCP’s spy balloon is gathering, and what actions the administration and DoD are taking to take down the CCP’s spy balloon.
The governor also emphasized the military readiness of the Montana Air and Army National Guard, writing, “The Montana Air and Army National Guard remains ready to assist with operations to defend our country and protect our people from nefarious actors who threaten our national security and way of life.”
The CCP spy balloon was identified over Billings, Montana, on Wednesday afternoon, temporarily shutting down commercial air traffic.
At the time of publication, the balloon had moved eastward out of Montana airspace.
