CNN’s Jim Sciutto blasted for February Chinese spy balloon tweet that ‘aged like cheese’
CNN anchor Jim Sciutto was forced to update a February tweet “that aged like cheese” claiming United States officials were able to “block” the infamous Chinese spy balloon from gathering intelligence before it was shot down.
Sciutto, a former Obama administration official who is now a CNN anchor and the network’s chief national security correspondent, reported on Feb. 4 that the Biden administration was able to “block the balloon from gathering intel” in a message that turned out to be wrong.
“Notable: US officials say they were able to block the balloon from gathering intel during its overflight of the US, while the US military was able to turn the tables, so to speak, to gather intel on the balloon itself and its equipment,” Sciutto tweeted.
But a report from NBC News on Monday said the balloon was able to gather intelligence from numerous sensitive American military sites despite efforts from the Biden administration to prevent that.
CNN anchor and chief national security correspondent Jim Sciutto is a former Obama administration official. (Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images for CNN)
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The report was based on information from two current senior U.S. officials and a former senior Biden administration official, who claimed China was able to control the balloon to allow it to pass over the sites multiple times while transmitting information back to Beijing in real time.
The CNN anchor followed up with an update on Monday as critics unearthed his original tweet.
“Update: The US now believes the Chinese balloon was able to gather some intelligence during its transit,” Sciutto wrote without apologizing.
NewsBusters managing editor Curtis Houck blasted Sciutto’s original tweet.
“This take aged like cheese left out on an elementary school blacktop on a summer’s day. The liberal media have yet more egg on their faces, but the problem with this one is while it’s…
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