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Biden officials kept quiet about suspected Chinese spy balloon fearing diplomatic, political fallout

President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden step off Air Force One, Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023, at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base in Syracuse, N.Y. The Bidens are in Syracuse to visit with family members following the passing of Michael Hunter, the brother of the president's first wife, Neilia Hunter Biden. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

By Joseph Clark - The Washington Times

Biden administration officials kept quiet for nearly a week after the suspected Chinese spy balloon first entered U.S. airspace, fearing the matter would derail Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s planned trip to Beijing, according to a new report.

Part of the 988helpline.org website is photographed Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. A cyberattack caused a nearly daylong outage of the nation's new 988 mental health helpline on Dec. 1, 20222, federal officials tell The Associated Press. Lawmakers are now calling for the federal agency that oversees the program to prevent future attacks. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick

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In this photo provided by Brian Branch, a large balloon drifts above the Kingston, N.C. area, with an airplane and its contrail seen below it. The United States says it is a Chinese spy balloon moving east over America at an altitude of about 60,000 feet (18,600 meters), but China insists the balloon is just an errant civilian airship used mainly for meteorological research that went off course due to winds and has only limited “self-steering” capabilities. (Brian Branch via AP)

U.S. considering plan to down Chinese balloon over Atlantic

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks after being sworn in to begin his second term during an inauguration ceremony outside the Old Capitol Jan. 3, 2023, in Tallahassee, Fla. Florida lawmakers will meet Monday, Feb. 6, 2023, to complete a state takeover Walt Disney World's self-governing district and debate proposals on immigration and election crimes, as DeSantis continues to leverage national political fissures ahead of an expected White House run. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)

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Hold for Business Photo: Boxes of Kellogg's Froot Loops, Corn Pops, Apple Jacks, and Honey Smacks sit on the shelf of a Mt. Lebanon, Pa., grocery store Friday, June 25, 2010. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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Hold for Business Photo: Boxes of Kellogg's Froot Loops, Corn Pops, Apple Jacks, and Honey Smacks sit on the shelf of a Mt. Lebanon, Pa., grocery store Friday, June 25, 2010. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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President Joe Biden answers a reporter's question after stepping off Air Force One, Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023, at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base in Syracuse, N.Y. Biden is in Syracuse to visit with family members following the passing of Michael Hunter, the brother of the president's first wife, Neilia Hunter Biden. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Biden says he’ll ‘take care of’ Chinese balloon

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In this photo provided by Brian Branch, a large balloon drifts above the Kingston, N.C. area, with an airplane and its contrail seen below it. The United States says it is a Chinese spy balloon moving east over America at an altitude of about 60,000 feet (18,600 meters), but China insists the balloon is just an errant civilian airship used mainly for meteorological research that went off course due to winds and has only limited “self-steering” capabilities. (Brian Branch via AP)

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A high-altitude balloon floats over Billings, Mont., on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. The huge, high-altitude Chinese balloon sailed across the U.S. on Friday, drawing severe Pentagon accusations of spying and sending excited or alarmed Americans outside with binoculars. Secretary of State Antony Blinken abruptly canceled a high-stakes Beijing trip aimed at easing U.S.-China tensions. (Larry Mayer/The Billings Gazette via AP)

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Part of the 988helpline.org website is photographed Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. A cyberattack caused a nearly daylong outage of the nation's new 988 mental health helpline on Dec. 1, 20222, federal officials tell The Associated Press. Lawmakers are now calling for the federal agency that oversees the program to prevent future attacks. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick

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Hold for Business Photo: Boxes of Kellogg's Froot Loops, Corn Pops, Apple Jacks, and Honey Smacks sit on the shelf of a Mt. Lebanon, Pa., grocery store Friday, June 25, 2010. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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