Ted Cruz Explains The ‘Bad Message’ Biden Conveyed To Communist China Over Spy Balloon

Ted Cruz (Republican from Texas) attacked President Joe Biden for allowing a Chinese spy balloon over the United States for several days before shooting it over the Atlantic Ocean.

Cruz made the remarks during a Sunday interview on CBS News’s “Face The Nation,” Biden was credited for finally lowering the balloon.

“Unfortunately, he didn’t do that until a week after it entered U.S. airspace,” Cruz said. “He allowed a full week for the Chinese to conduct spying operations over the United States, over sensitive military installations, exposing not just photographs but the potential of intercepted communications.”

“And more broadly, I think this entire episode, telegraphed weakness to Xi and the Chinese government,” He continued. “And to illustrate why I would just ask one- one hypothetical question: imagine how this would have played out if nobody had taken any pictures of the balloon, if nobody in Montana had looked up and noticed this giant balloon, if it wasn’t in the news.”

“We know that when the Biden administration knew about the balloon, they said nothing, they did nothing, they didn’t shoot it down,” He concluded. “And at the end of the day, I think the only reason they shot it down is because it made it into the news and they felt forced to as a matter of politics rather than national security. That’s a bad message for the Chinese government to hear.”

MARGARET BRENAN : We would like to travel to Dallas, Texas where we will be joined by Ted Cruz, a Republican senator. Good morning, Senator.

SEN.TED CRUZ: Good afternoon, Margaret.

MARGARET BRENNAN Is it possible to see the upside in this captured time?

SEN. CRUZ: Well, listen, I want to start by doing something that I don’t do very often, which is commending Joe Biden for actually having the guts to shoot this down. This was the right decision. It was the right thing for President Obama to do. Unfortunately, he didn’t do that until a week after it entered U.S.airspace. He gave the Chinese a full week to spy on the United States. This allowed them to access sensitive military installations and expose not only photographs, but also the possibility of intercepted communications. I believe this episode, and more generally, telegraphed weakness towards Xi and to the Chinese government. And to illustrate why I would just ask one- one hypothetical question: imagine how this would have played out if nobody had taken any pictures of the balloon, if nobody in Montana had looked up and noticed this giant balloon, if it wasn’t in the news. We know that when the Biden administration knew about the balloon, they said nothing, they did nothing, they didn’t shoot it down. The only reason they decided to shoot it down was because it made the news, and they felt it was more political than national security. That’s a bad message for the Chinese government to hear.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, the Pentagon has since disclosed that it’s apparently happened four times before, never quite like this. After discovering espionage, the Trump administration shut down the Chinese Consulate in Houston in 2020. Do you think there should be more diplomatic fallout like this?

SEN. CUZ: Well, look, I- I think so. I spoke to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo when the Trump administration closed the Chinese consulate in Houston. It was shocking to learn what the Chinese government had done in Texas through espionage. Mark Swidan is a political prisoner in Texas. He is currently a Chinese hostage. He’s been there for 10 years. Last week, John Cornyn and I introduced a resolution to the Senate floor calling for the release of Mark Swidan from China. He’s wrongfully imprisoned. He’s been there 10 years, they’ve sentenced him to death on charges for which they have little to no evidence, and- and I had been urging Tony Blinken when he was going to Beijing, to raise Mark Swidan’s case and to make the case for Mark to be released. China, if they want to demonstrate that they’re not bad actors, if they want to demonstrate that they can aspire to being a great nation, they should release Mark Swidan because great nations and great powers don’t hold political prisoners.

MARGARET BRENNAN : According to the State Department, he has been wrongfully held. This was raised to Xi Jinping in November and there- there hasn’t been release to date. That’s a great point. But, I have a question for you regarding your role. Please confirm.