Former US President Donald Trump has sparked warning over a series of sightings of mysterious drones in New Jersey skies, urging action to be taken immediately. In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump criticized the administration of President Joe Biden, saying decisive action must be taken, even to shoot down the drones.
On Friday, Trump said, “Mystery Drone sightings all over the Country. Can this really be happening without our government’s knowledge? I don’t think so! Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down!!! DJT.”
His comments follow a growing number of reports from New Jersey residents who have shared grainy footage and photos of the drones on social media. The sightings have not only shocked locals but also caught the attention of lawmakers, raising questions about the identity and intentions of the unmanned aircraft.
FBI And DHS Dismiss Security Threat Claims
However, both the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have played it down. The agencies together issued a statement on Thursday explaining that most of what was reported was likely manned legal aircraft. “It appears that many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft, operating lawfully,” read the statement by the agencies, which also added “there is no known malicious activity occurring in New Jersey.”
The White House national security communications adviser, John Kirby, also responded to the situation, telling Fox News on Friday, “We don’t have enough conclusions to take down one of the craft.” He recognized the public frustration but stressed that more information was required before drastic measures could be entertained.
Lawmakers Raise Concern Over Drone Sightings
As the drone sightings continue, lawmakers have begun to speak out on the issue. The chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee’s investigations panel, Senator Richard Blumenthal, announced that he had requested a briefing from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) before Congress breaks for the holidays.
Homeland Security Secretary briefed last week on new technology they were deploying but we need details on what those efforts have yielded and if more resources are needed. If they haven’t fully identified the devices yet we still should know what is being done. 9/11
— Andy Kim (@AndyKimNJ) December 13, 2024
New Jersey Democratic Senator Andy Kim joined the call for greater transparency. Not happy to be sharing my frustration in this post with an image from last night at night,” he said, but explaining how he and police locally spent nights searching for drones and often spotted “five to seven lights showing on the flight tracking application-not associated with aircraft.”
“It is difficult to understand with the technology we have and we cannot track these devices to know their origin,” Kim added. This makes me much more concerned about our capabilities more broadly when it comes to drone detection and countermeasures.”
State Officials Push For Federal Action
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy also weighed in on the matter, writing a letter to President Joe Biden, calling for federal agencies to cooperate in order to uncover the truth behind the mysterious drone sightings. Murphy has asked agencies to coordinate their response in order to ensure that this situation is investigated fully.
Similarly, New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed concern over recent sightings in her state, emphasizing that no evidence has been found to suggest that the drones pose a public safety or national security threat. “At this time, there’s no evidence that these drones pose a public safety or national security threat,” Hochul wrote on social media. She added that the state is working closely with the FBI and DHS to monitor the situation.
ALSO READ | Why RFK Jr.’s Asked FDA To Revoke Approval Of Polio Vaccine?
