Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) joined the GOP in criticizing President Joe Biden’s response, or possible lack thereof, to a suspected Chinese spy balloon floating over United States territory.
The balloon was spotted over Tester’s constituency in Montana, raising the stakes for the Democratic senator in a largely red state. On Friday, Tester released a statement calling the incident “unacceptable” and pledged to hold the Biden administration accountable for any failings.
“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,” he said. “I will always defend Montana and our national security from hostile adversaries like China.”
SEN. JON TESTER WON’T COMMIT TO REELECTION RUN AS HE FACES TOUGH PROSPECTS IN 2024
He added that he will receive a classified briefing on the topic upon his return to Washington.
Tester’s apparent slight against Biden represents a rare occasion in which a Senate Democrat has publicly broken ranks with the president. He wasn’t alone, however, with Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) writing a joint statement with Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) that called for a stern reaction to the move.
“The Chinese Communist Party should not have on-demand access to American airspace. Not only is this a violation of American sovereignty, coming only days before Secretary Blinken’s trip to the PRC, but it also makes clear that the CCP’s recent diplomatic overtures do not represent a substantive change in policy. Indeed, this incident demonstrates that the CCP threat is not confined to distant shores — it is here at home and we must act to counter this threat,” the statement read.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Tester, a noted centrist Democrat, has held his seat since being elected in 2006, despite Montana growing increasingly red since his election. Former President Donald Trump handily won the state in 2020 by a near-16-point margin. He is projected to face perhaps his greatest electoral challenge yet in 2024.
