According to a new poll, a majority of Americans believe the Biden administration handled the Chinese spy balloon poorly.
59.2 percent of Americans believe the handling of the balloon, which was allowed to travel across America before being shot down off the coast of South Carolina, “made America look weak” on the world stage, according to the survey, conducted by The Trafalgar Group in partnership with Convention of States Action.
Twenty-four percent of respondents said the handling of the balloon had no impact on perceptions of America on the world stage, while only 10.1 percent said “it made America look strong.” Six percent were unsure.
Just 36.6 percent of Americans said the balloon crisis was handled appropriately, while 63.4 percent said it was mishandled.
Among those who disapproved of the crisis’ handling, 34.5 percent said it should have been handled sooner, while 28.9 percent said it was mishandled.
A total of 58.8 percent of Americans believe President Biden should have taken down the Chinese spy balloon before it entered US airspace sooner, according to the poll.
31.4 percent said Biden shouldn’t have acted sooner, while 9.8 percent weren’t sure.
Despite the fact that the balloon was known to the Biden administration’s Department of Defense for nearly a week prior to the news breaking on February 2, the White House kept its presence quiet so as not to disrupt Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s trip to China. As a result of the public’s discovery of the balloon, the trip had to be postponed.
A U.S. fighter jet fired on the balloon Sunday, sending it hurtling downward into the Atlantic Ocean.
Over a 10-square-mile search area off Myrtle Beach, five Navy ships recovered debris from the balloon.
Americans sent a clear and loud message that they disapprove of Biden’s management of the Chinese spy balloon crisis, as 54.4 percent believe it was handled poorly, with many indicating that it should have been addressed sooner. Considering the national security threat left in limbo while the Department of Defense was aware of the balloon’s presence for days before it became public knowledge, the delay made us look like a laughingstock on the global stage. Clearly, this poll showed that Americans are expecting more from their leaders when national security is at stake.
