Rubio: U.S. needs to focus on "message" behind Spy Balloon

(Miami, FL) -- Senator Marco Rubio says the U.S. needs to put just as much focus on the message the China sent with their surveillance balloon as the potential data it collected.

Appearing on CNN's State of the Union, the Florida Republican suggested China is basically saying they could get away with blatant surveilling of sensitive military sights and there was nothing the U.S. could do to stop them.

Rubio also said he doesn't believe it's a coincidence it happened as the Secretary of State was set to visit China and just ahead of President Biden's upcoming State of the Union address.

The balloon was shot down just off the east coast of the U.S. late last week, and is being recovered by personnel of the coast of North Carolina. It was first spotted over Montana last week, and made its way across the country.