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Lawmakers demand accountability from Biden admin after 4th flying object shot down by military: 'Unacceptable'
Lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle are demanding additional accountability from the Biden administration after four flying objects have been shot down over the U.S. and Canada in recent days.
Politics
Democratic and Republican lawmakers are demanding President Biden provide "maximum transparency" on what the administration learns about the now four unidentified flying objects that have been shot down over the U.S. and Canada in recent days.
The U.S. military on Sunday shot down another unidentified flying object over Lake Huron in Michigan. It was the third time in as many days and the fourth overall since Feb. 4 that an "unidentified object" was shot down in North America.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) released a statement Sunday confirming that the fourth object was shot down by a F-16 at 2:42 p.m. "at the direction of President Biden, and based on the recommendations of Secretary Austin and military leadership." The object was flying at 20,000 feet over Lake Huron, according to NORAD.
The object was shot down because it could have been a "hazard" to "civil aviation," continued the statement, and there were "no indications" of civilians that were impacted. NORAD said a team is working to recover the object in "an effort to learn more."
However, neither the Pentagon nor NORAD has released additional information whether the object shot down Sunday was related to Chinese surveillance activities that led to the shooting down of a massive floating balloon last week over the coast of South Carolina, or other two floating objects shot down over Alaska and Canada.
A senior U.S. official told Fox News Sunday that the unidentified "objects" the U.S. shot down over Canada and Alaska are both believed to be balloons that were carrying a payload.
Montana GOP Sen. Steve Daines called the lack of transparency from the Biden administration after the shooting down of a fourth airborne object "unacceptable."
"The lack of communication from the Biden administration regarding the closing of Montana airspace last night and the recent shoot-downs that took place over Alaska and Canada is unacceptable," Daines said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital.
"The top priority of the administration should be the safety and security of the people of the United States and keeping the American people informed is a key part of fulfilling that duty," Daines continued. "President Biden owes Montanans and the country an immediate and full explanation. Without information, the public and media are left to rely on leaks, speculation and worst of all disinformation from foreign governments."