President Joe Biden spoke to the nation on Thursday regarding the recent shootdowns of flying objects in U.S. and Canadian airspace. After a suspected Chinese sky balloon was detected in North American airspace beginning January 28, and then taken down in South Carolina on February 4, three additional airborne objects were shot down days later.

The military responded through the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), which utilizes a network of satellites, ground-based radar, airborne radar and fighters to monitor and protect Canadian and U.S. airspace.

On Thursday, Biden assured Americans that the objects were "most likely tied to private companies, recreation or research institutions," and were not connected to a Chinese spy program. A White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre added that China's decision to levy sanctions against U.S. defense contractors was just an attempt to deflect and spin the incident.

The U.S. and Canadian governments partnered