Susan Collins actually said...

"But do you think if we had an American surveillance balloon going over sensitive Chinese Military sites; that the Chinese Government would have, for a minute, hesitated before taking it down?"

"The best way to avoid conflict with China is for President Xi and the Chinese Communist Party to have no doubt regarding the resolve of the U.S. Government to defend our territory and our interests."

"Why wouldn't a foreign military surveillance aircraft, violating U.S. airspace inherently be considered to have hostile intent?"

"It defies belief that there was not a single opportunity to safely shoot down this spy balloon prior to the Coast of South Carolina."