Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene echoed her close confidant, former President Donald Trump, in a Friday night Twitter rant about the Chinese surveillance balloon floating across U.S. airspace.
The high-altitude orb was spotted hovering over Montana on Thursday, sparking fear and outrage among Republicans over President Joe Biden's choice to not shoot it out of the sky, heeding the advice of his military brass. The Pentagon said after news of the balloon spread that the object is large enough that any potential debris could pose a "significant" risk of civilian injury or death.
In a Twitter thread Friday, Greene reiterated complaints that the discovery of the balloon was mishandled by the Biden administration, which said Thursday that it had been tracking its location over the U.S. for a couple of days.
"Members of Congress, and particularly those of us serving on [the Republican caucus of the House Committee on Homeland Security], found out about this CCP [Chinese Communist Party] intelligence operation ... against the US at the same time as most Americans, on the news days after it breached US airspace," Greene wrote.
"Biden and his admin kept it secret and didn't inform Congress. Leaving us in the dark."
The Chinese Foreign Ministry claimed on Friday that the balloon was a Chinese "civilian airship," mostly used to monitor the weather, adding that "with limited self-steering capability, the airship deviated far from its planned course." But according to Greene, the balloon could still pose a security threat due to a 2017 Chinese national intelligence law.
"The CCP's national strategy of Military Civil Fusion and their 2017 National Intelligence Law requiring organizations and citizens to 'support, assist and cooperate with the state intelligence work' means ... this 'civilian airship' has no autonomy from the Chinese State," Greene said.
The Georgia Republican ended her dialogue by calling for Biden to "SHOOT DOWN THE BALLOON!!"
The Chinese spy balloon that was flying over Montana has now reached Missouri and is headed to the East Coast.
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) February 4, 2023
Members of Congress, and particularly those of us serving on @HomelandGOP, found out about this CCP intelligence operation..
🧵 THREAD
Greene's final call is reminiscent of Trump's statement on Truth Social earlier in the day, where the former president wrote, without further comment, "SHOOT DOWN THE BALLOON!"
Greene also seemed to mirror the former president's insult style regarding China on Friday, referring to Biden as "China Joe."
Trump has used similar rhetoric in the past, accusing former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and her husband, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, of conspiring with the CCP, claiming the Kentucky senator has "BIG relationships with China."
Chao recently spoke out against Trump's nickname for her, as he routinely refers to his former official as "Coco Chow."
Greene and Trump have shared a strong relationship since the congresswoman took office in 2021, including appearing at several rallies together in the fall for Trump-endorsed candidates ahead of the 2022 midterms.
Greene is also rumored to be Trump's chosen running mate in the 2024 election, a pursuit the congresswoman has said she "would be honored" to accept.
Newsweek has reached out to Trump's press team for comment.
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Kaitlin Lewis is a Newsweek reporter on the Night Team based in Boston, Massachusetts. Her focus is reporting on national ... Read more
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