President Biden said Tuesday that there is no immediate threat to drones seen in the Northeast, noting that authorities are investigating the drones.
“Obviously it's not malicious, but they're looking at everything,” Biden told reporters about the drones.
“We are monitoring the situation closely, but there is no sense of crisis at this time,'' he said.
White House National Security and Public Affairs Advisor John Kirby said Monday that drones do not pose a threat to national security or public safety, and warned Americans that there are more than 1 million legal drones in the country. He called on reporters to remind them.
Biden also highlighted the number of drones flying legally.
“There are a lot of licensed drones out there,” the president said. “I think one person started it and everyone wanted to seal the deal.”
In a press conference Monday, President-elect Trump questioned why government officials weren't being more candid about the situation, suggesting the Biden administration is aware of what's going on. He also said the drones were not the work of an adversary.
Meanwhile, Democrats are divided over the White House's response to the drone debate, with some defending the president's assurances that there is no threat to public safety and others offering evidence to support that claim. Some people blame government agencies for not doing so.
A spate of drone sightings in New Jersey has left residents reeling, and the local FBI and New Jersey authorities are asking the public to report any recent drone sightings.
