Rubio says China sent balloon to send ‘a message’: They believe US is ‘in decline’

“They did this on purpose,” Sen. Marco Rubio said on “This Week.”

February 5, 2023, 9:10 AM

Sen. Marco Rubio, the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Sunday that despite China’s claims otherwise, they sent a balloon over U.S. airspace last week to send a message about the country’s sway across the globe.

“They did this on purpose. They understood that it was going to be spotted, they knew the U.S. government would have to reveal it, that people were gonna see it over the sky. And the message they were trying to send is what they believe internally, and that is that the United States is a once-great superpower that’s hollowed out, it’s in decline,” Rubio told ABC “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl.

U.S. officials said they waited to strike the balloon until the risk to civilians was minimized and only announced the vessel was over the country after it had already flown down from Alaska. China saw value in the delay, Rubio said.

“The message they’re trying to send the world is, ‘Look, these guys can’t even do anything about a balloon flying over U.S. airspace. How can you possibly count on them if something were to happen in the Indo-Pacific region? How can you count on them if they’re not gonna do anything about a balloon over U.S. airspace? How are they going to come to the aid of Taiwan or stand with the Philippines or Japan or India when the Chinese move on their territory?'”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

In this Nov. 8, 2022, file photo, Sen. Marco Rubio speaks to his supporters during an election-night party in Miami.

Saul Martinez/Getty Images, FILE