According to an NBC News report, US President Joe Biden was not briefed about the spy balloon incident until February 1. The people, too, were not aware of it until February 2 when several media outlets reported about the issue.
A Chinese spy balloon flew across the US and also collected intelligence from several US military sites. 🌎 Chinese Spy Balloon Flew Over US, Collected Sensitive Information From Military Sites, Despite Joe Biden Administration’s Efforts To Block It.
The US has deployed the Navy to recover parts of a Chinese balloon after it shot down the white orb it believed was spying on "sensitive areas" across the country.
Both the US and China are now accusing each other of violation of international law and threatening repercussions. Mullen said Blinken did the right thing by cancelling his trip to China.