Pentagon says Chinese surveillance balloon poses no ‘physical or military threat’

Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said on Friday that a suspected Chinese spy balloon spotted at a high altitude over North American airspace poses “no physical or military threat.” He called it a Chinese “surveillance balloon,” refuting China’s statement that it was just a civilian weather balloon that had veered off course. Ryder says the balloon has been assessed to be at around 60,000 ft., or “well above the range of civilian air traffic,” and “has the ability to maneuver.”