Marco Rubio: Chinese spy balloon was 'a message' Beijing believes U.S. is 'in decline'

Marco Rubio said that the Chinese spy balloon appearance was purposefully planned to appear in U.S. airspace just days ahead of Secretary of State Antony Blinken's trip to China. The top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee claimed that the now infamous spy balloon was a message to the world from Beijing that they do not view the U.S. as a mega-power anymore. The comments come amid new revelations that another Chinese spy balloon crashed into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Hawaii four months ago, and officials told Fox News that at least one other flew over portions of Texas and Florida during former President Donald Trump's time in office. Top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee Marco Rubio claims the Chinese spy balloon was 'a message' that Beijing 'believes internally... that the United States is a once-great superpower that's hollowed out, it's in decline'. The offer came the same day Americans first learned of a suspected Chinese spy balloon flying over the country. It's why the congressman now believes the Biden administration is offering the briefing now to distract from the diplomatic crisis caused by China's 'spy balloon. When asked about the alleged Chinese spy balloon incidents that occurred during the previous administration under Donald Trump, Turner did not answer directly - instead pivoting to Biden's perceived lackluster public response.