The long journey of a Chinese spy balloon finally ended on Saturday after it was downed off the coast of South Carolina.

According to reports, President Joe Biden gave the order to shoot it down on Wednesday, but Gen. Mark Milley, infamous for overriding presidents and supporting China, chose to not carry out the order until four days later. Ostensibly, the reason was to prevent damage to civilian property, but as we’ll get to, that makes no sense whatsoever.

Still, in a laughable show of arrogance, Democrats rushed to praise Biden as courageous for downing the balloon after it had already completed its mission of transitioning the continental United States. So-called ‘Dark Brandon’ memes even made a return.

Need I say more https://t.co/jHaYlgBmPo pic.twitter.com/Hs2Vg76pOW

— Megan Bates-Apper (@MeganApper) February 4, 2023

Actually, yes, I would like you to say more, Megan. While doing so, perhaps you could explain how it’s a great victory to shoot down a spy balloon after it’s already completed its mission. The balloon was first detected entering US airspace over Alaska. It passed through hundreds of miles of uninhabited areas where it could have been blown out of the sky safely.

After leaving Canada, it ended up in Montana, again traversing hundreds of miles of completely uninhabited country. Yet, it was still allowed to continue. What’s riskier? Downing it off the coast of Myrtle Beach in very popular fishing lanes after letting it cross over enormously populated areas or taking care of it when it was flying over desolate peaks in Alaska and Montana?

The #Pentagon’s assertion that it didn’t want to shoot down the #ChineseSpyBalloon because debris could have harmed people on the ground does not wash. The balloon crossed hundreds of miles of uninhabited #Alaska before it entered #Canada. #China

— Gordon G. Chang (@GordonGChang) February 4, 2023

This victory lap by the administration and its allies is like a football team losing 28-3 and celebrating that they kicked a field goal as time expired. China was obviously testing our resolve and fortitude to be able to act decisively. Biden, and by extension, the United States, failed that test. Whether China actually received any valuable data on its spying mission (likely), is of secondary importance in analyzing the situation.

Can’t wait to hear the Biden admin take a victory lap for downing the China spy balloon after letting it spy across the entire continental United States. pic.twitter.com/ArgDEQQh2H

— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) February 4, 2023

No one in China’s government thought, “let’s lazily float a balloon across the United States and no one will notice.” This was a planned provocation and a very clear one. Had the United States shot it down over Alaska, it would have sent a signal that our leaders aren’t going to compromise national security to avoid standing up to the Chicoms.

Instead, the balloon was allowed to finish its mission. Given that, Biden’s superfans look absolutely ridiculous sharing “Dark Brandon” memes and presenting this conclusion as heroic and decisive. It was not heroic and decisive to sit around for a week before finally making a move. China punked us again, and the common denominator remains the current President of the United States.