U.S. security is at risk, though federal agencies continue to buy drones and equipment from China, as the Chinese military has access to information those devices would obtain, Rep. Andrew Clyde said on Newsmax Wednesday.
"I would never under any circumstances allow China or Chinese technology to be used by our federal agencies," the Georgia Republican said on Newsmax's "National Report." "Anything you have that is made in China, you know for a fact there's a back door there and you know that the Chinese military has the key to that back door."
Such purchases would have been banned through the American Security Drone Act, which was pushed by congressional Republicans last year but ultimately failed.
Clyde's comments came in response to a report from Newsmax correspondent Christina Thompson, who on Wednesday reported that the Secret Service and FBI are buying drones and equipment from the Chinese company DJI, despite the Pentagon warnings of a national security threat.
Thompson said that American drone detection company AeroDefense reports that even if the Chinese drones passed U.S. security, future software updates could allow a malicious actor to access critical information.
Clyde also on Wednesday said the Inflation Reduction Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law this week, is "deceptively named" as it won't reduce inflation or make many changes that are affecting people at this point, but instead is a measure that will start up the "Green New Deal."
"This bill should be named the new Green New Deal because that's what it's all about," Clyde said. "It's about pushing their socialist green energy and their environmental programs. It tries to move us away from fossil fuels by increasing the tax. This is not a good deal for America."
The Biden administration, he added, has "deceived the American people here" with the $740 billion law, which allows roughly $370 billion for climate initiatives, clean energy, and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
"It's a major climate spending bill, as well, plus taxes and healthcare," he added.
The congressman also reflected on the first anniversary of the withdrawal from Afghanistan, including the decision to leave behind millions of dollars in equipment.
"It was a terrible decision by the Biden administration to withdraw the way they did," said Clyde. "President [Donald] Trump had a conditions-based withdrawal plan, and when the Taliban did not make those decisions, we acted appropriately. That's not what happened with President [Joe] Biden. He had in mind that [he would] be gone by a specific date and the Taliban took advantage of that."
The United States should never have deserted the Bagram air base to the Taliban, said Clyde, calling that a "tactical mistake."
"The prison there, its doors were thrown open, allowing 5,000 terrorists to be sent out into the night," Clyde continued. "As a result, we lost 13 brave service members to a terrorist attack that never should have happened. It's inexcusable.
"It shows weakness on the world stage. President Biden is fully responsible for the debacle of the Afghanistan retreat."
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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