President Joe Biden visited the Syracuse-area Saturday, visiting with family after the death of his brother-in-law earlier this week.
Biden's public schedule for the day indicated a "local stop," but said nothing else about the president's visit.
Air Force One landed at Syracuse's Hancock International Airport around 11:15 a.m. Airport officials announced a Temporary Flight Restriction over Syracuse from 10:15 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., noting that the temporary restriction could impact flight schedules.
Biden and his son Hunter exited Air Force One and got into a motorcade that headed for a home in the Town of Camillus. Before Biden got in the car, he was asked by a reporter if he planned to shoot down a Chinese balloon that has been slowly moving across the country this week.
"We're going to take care of it," Biden said.
.@POTUS, asked if the United States would shoot down the Chinese balloon, responds to reporters: “We’re going to take care of it.” pic.twitter.com/HZaIo0O97Q
— Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) February 4, 2023
Biden visited with family members in the Fairmount home after the death of his brother-in-law, Michael Hunter. Hunter was the brother of Biden's first wife, Neilia, an Auburn native who died, along with the couple's infant daughter Naomi, in a car accident in December of 1972.
The Bidens left the home just before 2 p.m., and Air Force One was back in the air around 2:25 p.m.
Before boarding the plane, Biden was asked again if he planned to shoot down the Chinese balloon. According to reports, Biden smiled and gave a thumbs up.
Biden turned to reporters, smiled and gave a thumbs up after I shouted if he was going to shoot down the balloon. Also asked if he issued a directive to shoot down the balloon and what message this sends to China. He boarded AF1 without elaborating.
— Zolan Kanno-Youngs (@KannoYoungs) February 4, 2023
Shortly after Air Force One left Syracuse, it was reported that the balloon was shot down over the Atlantic Ocean off the Caroliina coast.
"Television footage showed a small explosion, followed by the balloon descending toward the water. U.S. military jets were seen flying in the vicinity and ships were deployed in the water to mount the recovery operation", according to a report from the Associated Press.
