US scrambles F-22s following reports of unidentified flying object over Montana believed to be a Chinese spy balloon

• The US is tracking a suspected Chinese spy balloon first spotted over Montana, per NBC News.
• The balloon has been hovering over the US "for the past few days," NBC reported Thursday.
• "We continue to track and monitor it closely," a Pentagon spokesperson said.

The US military is tracking a suspected Chinese spy balloon after a bright, unidentified flying object was spotted in the skies of Montana, a senior defense official told reporters on Thursday, confirming a report published by NBC News.