Don Lemon Presses John Kirby on Americans’ Safety from Missiles the US Military is Shooting at Balloons

CNN’s Don Lemon pressed John Kirby on whether Americans are safe from the U.S. government’s effort to counteract the high-altitude objects detected above North America in recent days.

The White House National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications spoke with Lemon on Tuesday, who reported that the U.S. most recently shot down an airborne object over Lake Huron. Lemon specifically noted the latest reports that when an Air Force jet was dispatched to down the target, the jet had to fire two  Sidewinder heat-seeking missiles because the first one missed the target. It isn’t clear where the missile landed.

“Do you know where that missile is?” Lemon asked Kirby. “Does it concern you that missiles are missing targets that over American people, over the United States?”

Kirby refused to confirm or deny the report, but he commented that “these were very small radar cross-section targets, and so, it’s not inconceivable to me, as a former military man, to believe that one might have missed just because of the size of the target.”

“There are safety mechanisms in place that pilots use,” he continued. “I don’t think the American people — or the Canadian people — need to be worried about the possibility that one of those missed.”

Lemon continued from there by asking, “if the standard operating procedure going forward is to shoot these objects down to keep civilian aircraft safe in the sky, can you guarantee Americans on the ground that Americans on the ground will also stay safe as well.”

“Yes, I can, Don,” Kirby answered.

“As simple as that,” Lemon remarked, noting that Kirby still wouldn’t confirm reporting about a missing missile.

Thus Kirby offered his last words on the subject.

Again, I can’t confirm your reporting. There are safety protocols for all these kinds of engagements. The whole purpose of these missions were to keep Americans safe. That’s what was behind the president’s decision from the very, very beginning. Make sure we were keeping the skies safe for civilian air traffic. These three objects were at altitudes that could potentially pose a risk to commercial air traffic. And also, they pose a potential surveillance risk to sensitive sites on the ground. It’s all about the safety and security of the American people. That always comes first for the president, that was behind these decisions, and that won’t change.

Watch above via CNN.

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