Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the Biden administration "made an enormous mistake" that brought "global shame" to the United States with the takedowns of four objects flying over U.S. and Canadian air space since Feb. 4.
In an interview with The Hill posted Tuesday, Pompeo was particularly livid at the handling of a Chinese spy balloon — confirmed as one of the four high-flying intruders — that was finally shot down off the South Carolina coast.
"I don't know what it collected … I don't know what imagery it may have been able to garner," he told The Hill.
"The whole world saw a slow-moving balloon transiting Montana, Kansas, South Carolina — and the United States of America did nothing," he added.
According to Pompeo, the slow reaction delivered "an enormous geopolitical advantage" for China.
"I can't imagine that the risk of some falling debris over a place like Montana exceeded the risk of global shame," he said.
In the interview, Pompeo also denied he or any member of former President Trump's administration was aware of spy balloons flying over U.S. airspace during their time in office.
At a Feb. 4 Pentagon briefing, an unnamed official said Chinese spy balloons had "transited the continental United States briefly at least three times during the prior administration," The Hill reported — with the official appearing to suggest Trump did nothing.
On Monday, the National Security Council's John Kirby claimed the Trump administration had failed to "detect" the Chinese spy balloon program, The Hill reported — and declared: "We detected it. We tracked it."
In his interview with The Hill, Pompeo blasted the Trump-blaming as coming from what he described a liberal-leaning Washington media.
"You're bringing it up too, and this is exactly what the Biden administration wants you talking about: Look over here. See this shiny object? Trump, Trump, Trump. Right? This wasn't remotely the same thing. … As best as I can tell, no one was aware. And this is fundamentally different from what has transpired over the past two weeks," he told The Hill.
Pompeo's new book, "Never Give an Inch," defends the Trump administration's "America First" foreign policy, The Hill noted.
"Call it what you will," Pompeo told The Hill. "The State Department is a blob. It's the Washington establishment. It is a drag on change.
"I lived it," he said, "They were leaking memos on me before they got to my desk. They were undermining direct orders that I had provided to them."
He also took a shot at former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who has announced her White House bid.
"Some came in, punched their ticket and went on. And for those who made that decision, I just don't have any time," Pompeo told The Hill. "I don't understand how someone who believes that they have this incredible opportunity, in an important role, says, 'No, thanks. I don't want to do that anymore.' "
Fran Beyer ✉
Fran Beyer is a writer with Newsmax and covers national politics.
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