US Senator For Montana Says Receiving Classified Briefing On PRC Balloon Found Over State

US Senator for Montana Says Receiving Classified Briefing on PRC Balloon Found Over State

US Senator Jon Tester said on Friday that he will receive a classified briefing when he returns to Washington on the discovery of a balloon from the People's Republic of China (PRC) over the state of Montana, which he represents

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd February, 2023) US Senator Jon Tester said on Friday that he will receive a classified briefing when he returns to Washington on the discovery of a balloon from the People's Republic of China (PRC) over the state of Montana, which he represents.

On Thursday, the Department of Defense announced the detection of a PRC balloon over US airspace in Montana, disrupting civilian air traffic around the city of Billings. The United States alleges the balloon was engaged in surveillance, while the PRC claims it was a civilian airship engaged in scientific research.

"I am in contact with the Department of Defense and Intelligence officials about this completely unacceptable provocation. I am receiving a classified briefing once I return to Washington and will hold everyone accountable until I get real answers," Tester said in a statement via Twitter.

On Thursday, the other member of Montana's delegation to the US Senate, Steve Daines, sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin requesting a briefing on the incident.

Daines said he is "alarmed" by the fact that the balloon was able to infiltrate US airspace over Montana, which houses a number of nuclear missile silos.

Montana Governor Greg Gianforte said on Thursday that he received a briefing on the situation, likewise expressing concern for US national security.

Montana's two representatives in the US House, Matt Rosendale and Ryan Zinke, both issued statements proposing the United States take the balloon out of the sky.

"The Chinese spy balloon is clear provocation. In Montana we do not bow. We shoot it down. Take the shot," Zinke said on Thursday via Twitter.

On Friday, Rosendale proposed safely bringing down the balloon to stop the alleged surveillance and analyze any information already possibly collected.

The incident prompted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to postpone a trip to the PRC, although lines of communication between Washington and Beijing remain open, a senior State Department official also said on Friday.