One-on-one with the NORAD commander months after Chinese spy balloon incident

Months after a Chinese spy balloon was spotted flying in American airspace, Gen. Glen VanHerck, commander of NORAD, talks to NBC News’ Courtney Kube about the “significant gaps” and lessons learned since the incident.
» Subscribe to NBC News: / nbcnews
NBC News Digital is a collection of innovative and powerful news brands that deliver compelling, diverse and engaging news stories. NBC News Digital features NBCNews.com, MSNBC.com, TODAY.com, Nightly News, Meet the Press, Dateline, and the existing apps and digital extensions of these respective properties. We deliver the best in breaking news, live video coverage, original journalism and segments from your favorite NBC News Shows.
Connect with NBC News Online!
Breaking News Alerts: link.nbcnews.com/join/5cj/bre...
Visit NBCNews.Com: www.nbcnews.com/
Find NBC News on Facebook: / nbcnews
Follow NBC News on Twitter: / nbcnews
Get more of NBC News delivered to your inbox: nbcnews.com/newsletters
#NORAD #China #SpyBalloon

[@rickmitchell7835]

The incompetence of these clowns is breathtaking!

[@KilroywasHere427]

It's exactly why won't ever join America's military

[@noodles5358]

@@KilroywasHere427 you sound fun

[@xm47ecr36]

So 20+ years after 9/11 and we still haven't figured out how to share information between agencies 👀🤔

[@eagledefenseusa4799]

Agreed!

[@ronwinkles2601]

Homeland Security needs to be dismantled since it has been totally negated by Biden's border policy. This applies to the DEA and ATBF as well.

[@knowledge-jm5dn]

They can track Santa every year with tax dollars but couldn't seem to keep track of a ballon the size of 3 buses

[@annan7728]

All are political games to cheat American.

[@ICU1337]

They did and they can. They saw it coming from Japan. My guy is just trying to argue for getting more money in the budget. Its no accident that the DoD's budget is larger than the next 10 countries budgets combined.

[@LeftoverBeefcake]

I think people are forgetting that China has their own spies, a satellite network, and hackers that can find out a heck of a lot more information than a balloon. China was able to put landers on the moon for pete's sake. And they were able to do it all because we hand them our tech to build for pennies on the dollar, and ship it back to us so we can fill our dollar stores and Walmarts.

[@juki0h391]

Why don't they show the public the "spy balloon." We want to know if it's actually a spy balloon or not.

[@georgejesson1944]

Cause they don't want egg on their face and show their paranoia.

[@caladr9367]

Like you would know if it was a spy balloon by looking at it 😂

[@georgekraus9357]

No one is talking about the equipment in the balloon, exactly what was it? China claimed it was a weather balloon.

[@j.l.5935]

China says weather balloon, how come China had earthquake recently & about 100 people died! No excuse to spy America. 😤

[@nancychace8619]

There were news reports it was sophisticated electronics equipment, not for weather data.

[@hauscchildt6418]

Yall act like satellites don't exist lol Why tf would you use a balloon for spying when satellites are more effective

[@juki0h391]

@@nancychace8619 Then, why aren't they showing us? It's because it was just a weather balloon, I bet. People are not 100% convinced that it's a spy balloon. Until they show us, I'm not convinced it was a spy balloon.

[@j.l.5935]

@@nancychace8619 President Xi says weather but he's liar, anyway China has earthquake last week & over 100 people died😳

[@jimbosvidbits6166]

This is scripted

[@nancychace8619]

Unclear how you and NASA went from working a 60X60 naut. mile debris field down to about 6, and why that thing wasn't taken out over all that prairie land in Canada or Northern Montana. That's huge country up there, not too many people. Agree collaboration and communication are very important. I'd say that Sidewinder was pretty effective. Good discussion. Thank you for sharing.

[@williampankratz600]

Thay waited until it was over the ocean so that they couldn't retrieve the entire object and they admitted it last year

[@mystryx7931]

Thanks for not letting this go. They were depending on America's short memory

[@hauscchildt6418]

Guess everyone also forgot about the $200 billion we sent to Ukraine

[@killertomato1950]

Is this a job interview for the mainstream corporate media "expert" retirement program?

[@candydatko4468]

No way that thing should not have been shot down prior to entering the country on the west coast! My dad was stationed in Alaska to stop this sort of thing before it started. This was allowed to happen.

[@jaclrossrick6327]

Or maybe your dad and the military are incompetent idiots?

[@glideslopeX]

wanted to let you know that back in February we saw the sane type of balloon, while sitting out in our backyard in the Temecula area, CA. We assumed it was a weather balloon that had been released. I took my binoculars and saw the same type of construction as the spy balloon. Thank You.

[@ronoconnor8971]

The hill on Alessandro in Perris with the high barbed wire fences used to contain nukes. They were delivered to the ready alert bunker where it is now a flying club but used to have four B-52’s ready to go in a few minutes time there.

[@jaimevelez2532]

There is major issue with this China knows but they don't know how or what to do next knowing if they try anything violent they will not be spared and will initiate a change in thier culture there will be many different ethnicities in there country they don't feel comfortable with that and so they bought the banks and our debt and want full control of the sea off thier coast we basically befriended them and they don't know y or how to strike when is not violent they have to do something clever but not violent they know we value life and they value ??? Who knows

[@ThumperT51]

BS...the media was giving realtime updates 😂

[@chocolatethai7747]

Sounds like he's asking for more and more military spending

[@mrjackson5387]

1 on 1 with a criminal and his propagandist

[@frankh.4226]

WHY did YOU Allow it to continue to fly after being detected? OVER ALASKA!

[@ktbowersbellsouth]

We are supposed to believe that all radar/and tracking methods for flying objects stops at the horizon? Oooook👍 😂

[@ICU1337]

A 6 min video and youre still too slow to keep up... He answered your question several times throughout the conversation. Take an adderall or whatever, stay focused and pay attention while rewatching the vid.

[@jak3est]

Remember they didn't see it or was trying to not let the people know it was up there until some random guy looked up at a glare in the sky and saw through binoculars it was a balloon he called neighboring airfield airspace and they had nothing then it snowballed into the news.

[@operator9858]

you would think they would be trying to get us to forget about the ridiculous balloon fiasco but here they are digging it back up lol

[@millermc74]

They need more money to upgrade the radars......

[@operator9858]

@@oldrooster25 because they werent spy balloons and this was all just another pr stunt...

[@hauscchildt6418]

Could have upgraded our own defense if we didn't send $200 billion to Ukaines defense, even though this all comes out of OUR DEFENSE budge

[@gods_monsters]

It's because they're further trying to redirect from the UFO reality

[@bt9653]

Told to stand down…….the only explanation.

[@sbreheny]

No questions asked about the embarrassing rush to shoot down every balloon in the weeks after the Chinese one? I know of at least one of the ones which was shot down (with a $500k missile) was a small hobby radio beacon balloon which was harmless, operating within the law, publicly announced, and cost about $50.

[@hauscchildt6418]

How about the $200 billion to Ukraine? How is Ukraine relevant to our national defense

[@alyciacahn663]

Funny 😁 how no one remembers anything about that non life threatening incident and other's

[@AnimePlusUltrah]

Cuz 10% for the big guy is why.​@@hauscchildt6418

[@caladr9367]

Biden admin panicking, rightfully so.

[@bradleyaverick2191]

I'm pretty sure I saw one of those in a canister at the sports store.

[@georgejesson1944]

Didn't the US military state that the balloon wasn't a spy balloon?

[@ICU1337]

No

[@alyciacahn663]

I also thought so.. that is what was reported by army after it was shot down, and they examined the balloon. Not sure 🤔 why now it is a completely different story. I just remember the released report saying basically “ OPPS 😮 it really was a sophisticated weather balloon 🎈 SORRY! “

[@georgejesson1944]

@@ICU1337 Just looked up western news articles from multiple outlets dated around late July that the Pentagon states that the Chinese balloon did not collect any information while flying over the US. So why are they now rehashing this incident?! Have they run out of negative things to spread about China?

[@joannnearthecoast5896]

Wow, let's tell all of our enemies where we lack ..isn't this man under any kind of restrictions to be telling all this.

[@RandallChase1]

All the billions of dollars spent on military and defense and we got caught blindsided by a freaking balloon?! What a mess!!

[@johnny7629]

😂

[@alyciacahn663]

They all are a bunch of knuckleheads! 😃

[@princybella5386]

It,s not spent on "Defense" that,s the problem.

[@joeyharper4976]

A spy balloon.

[@janebishop5885]

I thought the ability to share and coordinate was the reason that bohemoth, Homeland Security was set up!! ?

[@lazynow1]

NORAD cannot handle a balloon....?????...this guy is incompetent...and needs to be released....ASAP...!!!!!

[@mattdubois260]

Theirs holes in his stories man... a simple balloon mind tricked you eh?

[@christiangiveans4497]

This is the most military video I’ve seen in a while. Just another commander spitting out big “military jargon” over and over.

[@user-kx2wb9rn1d]

I wonder how much money the big guy got for letting this to happen?!

[@ICU1337]

I wonder if you still think the 2020 election was stolen. Oh wait, no I dont.

[@stuntgirl56-therachelvande24]

several balloons were used by the Japanese in WW2 and made it to the Pacific coast. Everyone is always looking for jet trails and speedy objects. crafty to send slow, stealthy balloons

[@georgejesson1944]

China has satellites.....

[@josephlester4650]

Happy to see a mediator interview the issue before our nation with the utmost respect and not bring forth criticism because many people are turned off by the negative feedback from media Networks and commentators always down playing the truth when it comes to the safety of our nation

[@waeljallad671]

Japan selling Patriot missiles to US in break from self-defense policy BY BRAD DRESS - 12/22/23 The Japanese government will sell Patriot air defense missiles to the U.S., marking Tokyo’s first foray into selling complete lethal weapons to allied nations since the post-World War II era. Japan’s national security cabinet this week updated its export rules to allow for the shipment of completed weapons systems. Previously, only the transfer of components of those weapons was permitted. /policy/defense/4373611-japan-selling-patriot-missiles-to-us-break-from-self-defense-policy/ Mirage News Sullivan Discusses DPRK's ICBM Test with Korean, Japanese Advisors 5 days ago

[@afridgetoofar1818]

Your comment sounds like it was written by A.I. There is nothing genuine about you 😂

[@Kennethvitatoe-jc5pv]

He needs to step down !😢

[@robertbelongia6887]

Remember there were more than one?

[@you_beg_my_pardon]

"It's probably bigger and heavier" Yeah it was a satellite attached to a balloon. We know it was big and heavy. Why is he talking to us like we are little kids? Is that the target audience for this news clip?

[@johnny7629]

Obviously! 😂

[@charleswatson332]

What about the object over the great lakes we need answers

[@michaelarmajo4572]

"Blue Falcon" was asleep at the Radio Radar Command Station. They should have never got that far inland.

[@gabevachon326]

This general is as thick as Milley. It took a spy balloon to figure out how to detect one? What do you do with all our money,dude?

[@SixTenVisuals]

What good is the Patriot Act if this kind of thing can happen so easily?? Repeal the Act 😡

[@robbiehiatt9966]

He says its not been seen before by the homeland?? This is extremely old technology, its been seen everywhere do your research

[@robbiehiatt9966]

Loon claims its clocked over a million hours. You do the math

[@bobertospearza8800]

NORAD was told to Stand Down !!! They are in the skies 24/7/365 plus the Space Station ???

[@ChristianThomas-wf5dl]

She didn't ask the important questions!!

[@mrdeserna]

So confused. The last time we had a China incident. General Milly said he made a phone call and everything was all right.. you mean to tell me the good general didn't make the call? The intellegence community.

[@labradormom1]

They had to let it traipsing across our country..don't believe a word of that 😢

[@bob4198]

2:21

[@stevecook413]

And the government of Alaska, Montana couldn't make a sonic boom next to it???

[@Rick-em8bm]

Did directed energy weapons hit Maui ?

[@bvalen16]

A nista o "incidentu" 9-11 ?

[@Southland888]

Should have never gotten into our airspace……Only idiots running our country would let something like that happen🤷🏻‍♂️

[@howardtduck78]

Yall realize homeland is a word used by the Chinese

[@spankthemonkey3437]

@NBC News you expect us to belive this guy about not being able to see this balloon but can detect icbm missiles at launch in russia🤷🤦🏼🤣

[@derpyshadow447]

I wonder if the students of the weather club got a passing grade over the weather balloon or a postpone grade due to it getting completely incinerated by one of two because the first one missed billion dollar missiles. But don't mind me I'll be playing Minecraft

[@alyciacahn663]

🤪 😊 👍

[@hkr321hkr]

In order to get his retirement package, he put on a good show. Almost as good an actor as zelinski 😂

[@ChristianC-gy1ym]

So much political BS from the media LOL

[@user-ow3xu3go1g]

It was screwy them being able to come into our country like they did, looking at our military preparedness, they said most likely what it was doing. Makes me wonder if they'll ever try to take us on, you know they want our land for themselves.

I remember they said the roswell vehicle was a ballooon 😂 with all the tech they have how they didnt see a giant balloon ?

[@user-ld7lp5oy1i]

"months"

[@founderofcoreism]

You guys talk like children. Like you're talking to ten year Olds. IS that you're following now?

[@williamwells1862]

Waiting for the Baloon to go over the sea made 100% recovery. Over land when it hit it may have exploded and in any case much of the equipment would have been destroyed.

[@owenhoong88]

Have you seen the China spy balloon? I had seen the balloon. What was it like? Er... Balloon?

[@rexbentley8332]

Stake holders? What, you throwing in with Klaus Swab and WEF?

[@pakpala1]

Y’all made a big deal about a stupid weather balloon huh???

[@mr.p6360]

Trump wasn't pushd around like that worthless piece of incompetence in the white house now.

[@stuntgirl56-therachelvande24]

the settings of our defense systems were not looking for covid spreading balloons that were checking the upper airstream patterns, speed, altitudes, awareness and data for future 'ventures' Looking for a cloud in an upper stratosphere is like looking for a BB in an Ocean. More difficult when it is not metal, so maybe that was our only warning. Everyone is watching everything now

[@rikmichaels9233]

It was a UFO chill out

[@alyciacahn663]

@rikmichaels9233 , We can only wish, hope & pray 😊

[@fatimasilva2686]

❤❤

[@robbiehiatt9966]

This was no Chinese spy balloon, first do you really think the US would allow China to fly a balloon all the way across our country ? Second do you really think China would allow their top secret spy gear to fall in the hands of the us? And third if they really wanted to obtain this top secret spy balloon why did they shoot it down with a Sidewinder missile when a simple bullet would have done the job way better. Could you not place it within a one by one mile location. The problem here you're asking the wrong question, you should be asking what is it? And if you've done your research you would know exactly what this is I've known about these things for over 15 years now and I was in Myrtle Beach when the thing got shot down, they weren't looking on the beach for pieces they knew what it was and they're not telling you the truthkzbin.info/www/bejne/gojSlIZ4oNaSg5osi=tzkpSPxWSJL5Npu7

[@user-oe9xe8mv6t]

Good to know somebody knows what's going on.

[@hauscchildt6418]

And the fact they convinced people that balloons are for spying when satellites have been around for 60 years lol

[@juki0h391]

I know, right. There was Chinese balloon that floated across South America, but the news hardly talks about that. It's cause it goes against the narrative that China is specifically is targeting the US with their "spy balloon"

[@alyciacahn663]

I agree! Don’t really understand why now they are changing the narrative… Somebody must need some added attention & hysteria from the public. 😮 They should wait until after Christmas 🎄 & New Year 🎉 I just want to enjoy the Holidays in peace 😊

[@jaclrossrick6327]

​@@alyciacahn663military is trying to squeeze some more money out of your tax dollars as part of their holiday bonus

[@Themagalorian]

But Joe said to let it pass through that’s another 10% in his family’s pocket.

[@ICU1337]

You say this while the Trumps brag about the billions that they get from Russian banks and the billions that they got from the Sauds and the dozens of patents and contracts that they got from China🤔

[@devoltaaocaminho3949]

This Christmas remember Jesus, the best gift anyone can receive. Return your tithe and reject alcoholic beverages.

[@Meltedbutta7]

Who knows what they collected. They had a lot of time that’s for sure. Hugely Disappointing it took that long.

[@caladr9367]

I believe the US jammed it as it flew over

[@JPaul60]

Duh, what balloon? Where? Ma'am my pronouns are they /them.

[@user-zq4zi3dy3c]

Bidet FAILED. The secretary of defence FAILED. The head of the joint chiefs of staff FAILED. Each of them should have been dismissed. DISMISSED!

[@lazynow1]

as long as Biden's ice cream supply is secure...that is all that matters....

[@jackscruggs1536]

Fund raiser

[@PrinceTi]

All this fuss over a balloon 🎈🎈🎈😅😅😅

[@WilliamMurphy-uv9pm]

It is what the balloon carried across sensitive areas of th US. It wasn't weather forecasting equipment.

[@rocknbury]

Ahh yes venus

[@colintraveller]

Lolololol Yet What's the yearly budget for Groom lake ... ( A51)

[@marsharomack9437]

Groom lake. Odd name if you didn't know what the see I A was doing there...right next door

[@The_Quaalude]

Nothing but lies

[@budwhite9591]

China Joe

[@lazynow1]

Jesus, NORAD cannot handle a balloon......but AI will solve this issue..????...this pin head needs to be replaced.....he is incompetent

[@LovenessLife]

Is this a joke 🎉?¿

[@HEGELIANDIA]

PROPAGANDA.

[@smithwesson499]

Satan, your quest for my Soul is over. Thy Lord Jesus Christ is my Savior, Jesus Christ has my Soul, you do not. To the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost, my Devotion to you is Forever Lasting. God is King and Jesus Christ brings us Salvation and ever lasting life. God Bless us All, Amen! :_5

[@travisedwards6837]

Garbage

[@davidspirek2882]

Really? If you can't SEE something that BIG and that SLOW either you are BLIND or a TRAITOR.

[@WilliamMurphy-uv9pm]

The trick is that no one considers something that slow to be a risk. Being blind or a traitor has little to do with stupidity.

[@kevtop351]

He's proud of his team. China played us and we lost!

[@pingpong7810]

Xinjiang part of Pakistan 🖤🖤🐻

[@Foreign0817]

Independent East Turkestan. Take it or leave it.

[@jaclrossrick6327]

Kashmir is part of india

[@thehaywire8889]

TRUMP AGAIN FOR PRESIDENT 🇺🇸 2024

[@Mark-ej4uf]

You overly demonstrated not to be able nor having the technological tools made up for watch.

[@scottprebys9692]

Biden (once again)…was sleeping on this one !

[@MikePelfrey-sd5lb]

Rainbow 🌈 Warrior

[@princybella5386]

🐂🐃🦬💩!With all this Modern Communication Equipment and they can't get a message to each other quickly?Yeah rite!