Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Sunday, Mar 15, 2026

Joe Biden Says 3 Aerial 'Objects' May Not Be Linked To China Balloon

Joe Biden Says 3 Aerial 'Objects' May Not Be Linked To China Balloon

Joe Biden said this in his speech at the White House, his first one after a Chinese balloon was shot down in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of South Carolina.
The three high-flying objects which were shot down over the American and Canadian airspace this month were not related to the Chinese balloon programme, but most likely tied to private companies, recreation, or research institutions, US President Joe Biden said Thursday.

Joe Biden said this in his speech at the White House, his first one after a Chinese balloon was shot down in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of South Carolina. Three other high-flying objects were shot down by American fighter jets - two in the US and one in Canada.

"The US and Canadian military are seeking to recover the debris so they can learn more about these three objects. The intelligence community is still assessing all three incidences. They're reported to him daily and will continue their urgent efforts to do so, and he will communicate that to the Congress," Biden said.

"We don't yet know exactly what these three objects were, but nothing right now suggests they were related to China's spy balloon programme or that they were surveillance vehicles from any other country," he said.

"The intelligence community's current assessment is that these three objects were most likely balloons tied to private companies, recreation, or research institutions studying weather or conducting other scientific research," Biden said.

The President said that when he came into office, he instructed the intelligence community to take a broad look at the phenomenon of unidentified aerial objects.

"We know that a range of entities, including countries, companies, and research organizations, operate objects at altitudes for purposes that are not nefarious, including legitimate scientific research. I want to be clear. We don't have any evidence that there has been a sudden increase in the number of objects in the sky," he said.

"We're now just seeing more of them partially because the steps we've taken to narrow our radars. We have to keep adapting our approach to dealing with these challenges. That's why I've directed my team to come back to me with sharper rules for how we will deal with these unidentified objects moving forward, distinguishing between those that are likely to pose safety and security risks that necessitate action and those that do not," he said.

Biden at the same time asserted that the US will shoot down any object that threatens American security.

"If any object presents a threat to the safety and security of the American people, I will take it down. I'll be sharing with the Congress these classified policy parameters when they are completed, and they'll remain classified, so we don't give our roadmap to our enemies to try to evade our defences," he said.

The President shared details of the policy parameters adding that he has directed his national security advisor to lead a government-wide effort to make sure they are positioned to deal safely and effectively with the objects in US airspace.

"First, we will establish a better inventory of unmanned airborne objects in space above the United States airspace and make sure that inventory is accessible and up to date. Second, we will implement further measures to improve our capacity to detect unmanned objects in our airspace. Third, we'll update the rules and regulations for launching and maintaining unmanned objects in the skies above the United States of America," Biden said.

The Secretary of State, he said, will lead an effort to help establish a common global norm in this largely unregulated space. "These steps will lead to safer and more secure skies for air travellers, military, scientists, and for people on the ground as well."

"As the events of the previous days have shown, we'll always act to protect the interests of the American people and the security of the American people. Since I came to office, we've developed the ability to identify, track, and study high altitude surveillance balloons connected with the Chinese military," Biden said.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Saudi Arabia Declares 2026 ‘Year of Artificial Intelligence’ in Major Push for Data-Driven Economy
Saudi Arabia’s 2018 Budget Signals Strong Push for Non-Oil Economic Growth
Pakistan Envoy in Riyadh Says Regional Diplomacy Intensifying to Prevent Wider Middle East War
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Dozens of Drones as Regional Strikes Kill Two in Oman
Saudi Arabia Redirects Oil Exports to Red Sea Ports as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Escalate
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Missile and Drone Barrage as Regional Conflict Intensifies
Iran Expands Drone and Missile Campaign Across Gulf as Conflict With US and Israel Intensifies
Muslims Worldwide Await Saudi Moon Sighting to Confirm Eid al-Fitr 2026 Date
F1 Calendar Faces Major Disruption as Middle East Conflict Threatens Bahrain and Saudi Races
Trump Says Most US Aircraft Hit in Saudi Base Attack Suffered Minimal Damage
Trump Says Most US Aircraft Hit in Saudi Base Attack Suffered Minimal Damage
Strait of Hormuz Crisis Forces Saudi Arabia Into Major Oil Production Shut-In
Strait of Hormuz Crisis Forces Saudi Arabia Into Major Oil Production Shut-In
Saudi Arabia Slashes Oil Output as Strait of Hormuz Crisis Cuts Deep Into Gulf Revenues
Saudi Arabia’s Cultural Scene Presses Ahead as Nation Navigates Regional War
Saudi-Pakistan Defence Pact Faces Real-World Constraints as Iran War Escalates
Saudi Arabia Offers Two Million Barrels of Crude From Red Sea as War Disrupts Gulf Exports
Formula One Faces Tens of Millions in Lost Revenue if Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Races Are Cancelled
Formula One Set to Cancel Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix Amid Escalating Middle East War
Saudi Arabia Downs Dozens of Iranian Drones in Major Defensive Operation
Saudi Arabia Cuts Oil Output by About Twenty Percent as Iran War Disrupts Gulf Energy Flows
Formula One Set to Cancel Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix Amid Escalating Iran War
Asian Energy Security Tested as Strait of Hormuz Disruption Threatens Oil Supplies
Iran Sets Three Conditions for Ending Regional War as Diplomatic Efforts Intensify
Saudi Arabia Launches Royal Institute of Anthropology to Examine Social Transformation
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Arrives in Saudi Arabia for High-Level Talks
Saudi Aramco Turns to Ukrainian Drone Interceptors to Shield Oil Infrastructure from Iranian Threats
UK Foreign Secretary Travels to Saudi Arabia to Reinforce Support for Regional Allies
Rising Iran Conflict Casts Shadow Over Saudi Arabia’s $38 Billion Gaming Industry Ambitions
Iran Launches Missile and Drone Strikes Across Gulf as Oil Prices Surge Past $100
Saudi Air Defences Destroy Three Drones Targeting Strategic Shaybah Oil Field
Debate Grows Over Saudi Arabia’s Role in Sudan War Amid US Alliance Questions
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Travels to Saudi Arabia After Discussions With Iranian Leadership
Two Strategic Pipelines Allow Saudi Arabia and the UAE to Bypass the Strait of Hormuz
US Deploys Bunker-Buster Bombs to UK Airbase as Iran Conflict Intensifies
Iran warns of $200 oil as forces target merchant ships in Gulf
Japan to Release 45 Days of Oil Reserves Amid Iran Conflict
Three Commercial Vessels Attacked Near Strait of Hormuz, Thai-Flagged Ship Damaged and Crew Evacuated
Saudi Red Sea Oil Exports Set for Record in March as Kingdom Reroutes Crude Amid Hormuz Crisis
Saudi Arabia Seeks Belgian Military Support After Iranian Missile Attacks
Saudi Arabia Welcomes US Decision to Designate Sudan’s Muslim Brotherhood as Terrorist Organisation
Saudi Aramco Plans Dual Gulf and Red Sea Export Routes as Iran Crisis Disrupts Oil Shipments
Saudi Cabinet Condemns Iranian Attacks and Reaffirms Kingdom’s Right to Defend Its Sovereignty
Ukraine Deploys Counter-Drone Teams to Gulf States as Iranian Drone Threat Expands
Bahrain Grand Prix Faces Uncertainty as Saudi Arabia Works to Keep Formula One Race on Track
Saudi Arabia Faces New Strategic Dilemma in Yemen as Regional War Reshapes Calculations
OPEC Confirms Saudi-Led Oil Output Increase as Iran War Disrupts Global Energy Markets
Pakistan Pledges Rapid Support for Saudi Arabia Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Global Energy Agency Announces Record Release of 400 Million Barrels to Stabilize Oil Markets Amid Hormuz Disruption
Aramco Warns Global Oil Market Faces ‘Catastrophic’ Shock if Strait of Hormuz Remains Closed
×