Republicans react to third ‘object’ shot down over Canada: ‘unprecedented challenge’

Republicans react after the US military shot down a ‘high-altitude aerial object’ on Saturday, saying the US faces an ‘unprecedented’ challenge

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted that an “unidentified object” had been shot down over Canadian airspace.

“I ordered the downing of an unidentified object that violated Canadian airspace,” Trudeau wrote. “@NoradCommand shot down an object over the Yukon. Canadian and American aircraft were airlifted and an American F-22 successfully strafed the target.”

NORAD said in a statement to Fox News Digital on Saturday that it detected a “high-altitude aerial object” over Northern Canada.

NORAD CONFIRMS HIGH-ALtitude Airborne Object Flies OVER NORTHERN CANADA

An F-22 Raptor is shown in this undated image provided by Lockheed Martin. (Lockheed Martin via Getty Images)

“Military aircraft are currently flying from Alaska and Canada in support of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) operations,” the statement said. “NORAD confirms that we have positively identified a high-altitude aerial object over Northern Canada.”

“While we are unable to discuss details related to this activity at this time, please note that NORAD conducts ongoing, dispersed North American defense operations in one or all three NORAD regions,” the statement said.

Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska said in a statement that the US military is working to address this “unprecedented problem.”

US MILITARY SHOT DOWN “OBJECT” FLYING IN TERRITORIAL WATERS OVER ALASKA

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testifies before a public inquiry by the Emergency Public Order Commission November 25, 2022 in Ottawa. (Dave Chan/AFP via Getty Images)

“Thanks again to our military, especially the active duty and security forces in Alaska, who have been working literally around the clock for several weeks monitoring and fixing this unprecedented problem,” Sullivan tweeted.

Rep. Matt Rosendale, D-Montana, said the Biden administration should explain why two small targets were shot down while a Chinese spy ship flew over America last week.

“Can the Biden administrator explain why they shot down two relatively small ‘objects’ over Alaska and Canadian airspace this week, but allowed a well-known Chinese spy balloon to collect and transmit data about our country for a week before it was shot down ? Rosendale asked.

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John Kirby, National Security Council Coordinator, speaks at a press briefing at the James S. Brady White House Press Briefing in Washington, DC, USA, Friday, February 10, 2023. (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The US military shot down an “object” that flew over Alaska in territorial waters on Friday, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said at a press briefing.

Andrew Mark Miller of Fox News contributed to this report.