US *admitted that there is no spy equipment on the balloon.
Once again, you are making things up.
The US said the spy balloon was certainly capable of spying, but it did not collect information over the US, in part because of the American response.
We were aware that it had intelligence collection capabilities, but … it has been our assessment now that it did not collect while it was transiting the United States or over flying the United States," Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Pat Ryder said at a briefing.
He said Pentagon officials “took steps” to “mitigate the potential collection efforts of that balloon” and these efforts contributed to this result, though he did not elaborate further.
Even the headline to the original article said the balloon did not collect information. It never said the balloon did not carry surveillance equipment, you incorrectly assumed that.
Once again, you are making things up.
The US said the spy balloon was certainly capable of spying, but it did not collect information over the US, in part because of the American response.
Keep digging
No digging required, it’s all on the surface.
Even the headline to the original article said the balloon did not collect information. It never said the balloon did not carry surveillance equipment, you incorrectly assumed that.