The Chinese spy balloon spotted over Montana on Thursday will likely be hovering over the country for a “few days,” Department of Defense spokesperson Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters Friday. The balloon is moving eastward but the Pentagon will not be providing hour-by-hour updates on its location, he added. When reporters asked Ryder if the public had a right to know where the balloon is, Ryder replied that people can“look up in the sky and see where the balloon is.” It’s not clear if the balloon poses a threat to Americans. “Right now we assess that there is no threat of physical threat or military threat to people on the ground,” Ryder said. However, that could change if the Biden administration decides to shoot down the balloon, which the Pentagon said violated U.S. airspace. Some lawmakers have been urging President Biden to make the call to shoot down Friday, but officials need to assess the potential damage that would cause. Debris could “potentially cause civilian injuries or deaths,” Ryder said.
