The selfie was taken in the cockpit of a U-2 spy plane

The selfie was taken in the cockpit of a U-2 spy plane (Picture: US Department of Defense)

The US has released a selfie by a pilot showing a clear image of the Chinese spy balloon before it was shot down.

Taken from a U-2 spy plane cockpit, the selfie shows the balloon floating over the continental US and the shadow of the pilot’s aircraft.

The US Defense Department unveiled the selfie on Wednesday, more than two weeks after President Joe Biden ordered the balloon to be shot down.

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