There is a stereotypical scene in horror films in which the protagonists finally defeat a villainous being that is wreaking havoc on human society, only for the camera to “zoom out” to reveal that the monster is merely a small, insignificant part of a much more terrifying web of evil, thus setting up a sequel with greater stakes.

Senior defense officials revealed in a Saturday press conference that the balloon that was shot down off the coast of South Carolina was not an isolated incident.

Perhaps the most disturbing discovery of the briefing is that this sort of infiltration has occurred several times before, including throughout the administration of previous President Donald Trump.

“(The People’s Republic of China) government surveillance balloons transited the continental United States briefly at least three times during the prior administration and once that we know of at the beginning of this administration, but never for this duration of time,” a defense official said.

How long would the Chinese allow a US "weather balloon" drifting across their country? pic.twitter.com/AW5FT79qZ4

— Cooter McPherson (@AKACoot) February 4, 2023

What did the Chinese do about these now-multiple incursions?

The official stated during the briefing, “We spoke directly with Chinese officials through multiple channels, but rather than address their intrusion into our airspace, the PRC put out an explanation that lacked any credibility.”

The official then continued to blast through China’s assertions that the surveillance balloon is little more than a “civilian airship used for research.”

“The PRC has claimed publicly that the high-altitude balloon operating above the United States is a weather balloon that was blown off-course. This is false,” the defense official said. CONTINUE READING…