There have been many reports of mysterious drones flying over New Jersey, especially near U.S. military sites, and people are demanding answers. The White House recently responded, saying that most of the sightings were misidentifications caused by hobby drones, planes, and even stars.
The question of what’s causing these drone sightings has been growing, with both Republican and Democratic lawmakers pushing for more transparency. Even former President Donald Trump has joined the criticism, saying “something strange is going on” and suggesting that officials are not telling the public the full story.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has also been vocal, asking, “What the heck is going on?” and saying people have more questions than answers.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby explained that there are over 1 million drones registered with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the U.S., and many of these are flown legally by hobbyists, businesses, or law enforcement. He said the FBI has received reports about 5,000 drone sightings recently, with 100 of them being serious enough to follow up on.
Kirby said the U.S. government believes the sightings are mostly made up of commercial drones, hobby drones, law enforcement drones, and sometimes even aircraft like planes or helicopters. Some of the sightings might even have been stars that people mistakenly thought were drones. He stressed that, for now, there’s no evidence that these drones pose a national security threat.
He added that the government is using advanced technology and trained observers to track the drones. His comments echoed a joint statement from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the FBI, the FAA, and the Department of Defense.
Donald Trump, after hearing about these ongoing sightings, made a joke about possibly canceling his trip to his Bedminster golf course in New Jersey due to the drone situation. He said, “Something strange is going on,” and suggested that authorities aren’t telling people the truth.
Republican lawmakers in New Jersey have also criticized the response, calling it “idiotic,” especially after more sightings were reported at Naval Air Station Earle in New Jersey. Democratic lawmakers are equally frustrated, demanding answers from President Joe Biden and federal agencies.
The drone sightings started over a month ago, and they often happen at night, disappearing during the day. Local and federal authorities have not explained why these drones are flying over sensitive military locations. President Biden has ordered his agencies to investigate, but so far, no clear answers have been given.
Schumer, who represents New York and New Jersey, called a press conference, saying the public needs more information. He pointed out that drones are showing up in places like Long Island and Staten Island, and yet there still aren’t clear answers. Schumer has pushed for better ways to detect these drones and has even proposed using special drone-detection technology in New York and New Jersey.
Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said the U.S. Department of Defense doesn’t know what the drones are, but she added that they don’t think the drones are from a foreign enemy.
New Jersey Democratic Representative Mikie Sherrill criticized the federal response, saying it’s not enough to simply claim the drones are harmless. She called for more action, suggesting that the U.S. military should use drones to investigate the mysterious devices, much like Schumer’s proposal. Sherrill is frustrated by the lack of answers and what she sees as the government downplaying the situation.
Rep. Andy Kim, another New Jersey Democrat, visited the area to investigate the sightings himself. He reported that the drones seemed to disappear when a helicopter got close. He questioned how, with all the technology available today, authorities have not been able to track the drones and figure out where they are coming from. He noted that the lack of information is a bigger concern about the U.S.’s ability to detect and deal with drones.
Meanwhile, some Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill have expressed frustration, saying the drone mystery has gone on for too long without sufficient answers. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene called the lack of answers “bulls***” and criticized the Pentagon for not having more information.
House Speaker Mike Johnson has been briefed privately by the FBI, DHS, and the Department of Defense, but he has not spoken publicly about what was discussed. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said that there is no known threat from these drones, and the government is continuing to track the sightings. He added that many of the reported drone sightings turned out to be planes, not drones, based on new technology used to monitor the skies.
The mystery surrounding the drones over New Jersey is far from over, and many people, especially lawmakers, continue to demand clearer answers.
