Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) said Tuesday that he believes the government is lying about recent drone activity.
“Do you think the government is lying?” NewsNation's Blake Berman asked Burchett on “The Hill.” “I hate to say it to you, but do you think the congressman is lying on this issue?”
“Oh yeah, I mean, when have they ever told us the truth about anything… Look, this thing has been going on forever, and… I don't think they can control it. I think, and they don't have control over what to do, so they just lie,'' Burchett replied.
Over the past month, drone sightings have rocked several states in the Northeast, particularly New Jersey. Federal officials said in a statement Monday that recent drone sightings have included a combination of “legal” drones, other aircraft and stars.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), FBI, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and Department of Defense (DOD) said in a joint statement that they are “aware of the concerns of many communities.”
“We will continue to support state and local governments with advanced detection technology and law enforcement support. We urge Congress to enact countermeasures.[unmanned aircraft systems] “When we reconvene, we will enact legislation that expands and expands existing anti-drone authorities to identify and mitigate any threats that may emerge,” they added.
On Monday, President-elect Trump said the Biden administration was aware of what was going on with the drone sightings, suggesting they were not caused by a foreign adversary.
The Tennessee Republican later added that he believes Trump “will be a big part of solving” the drone sightings.
The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment.
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