Reports of drone sightings in New Jersey and New York add to the conspiracy, and on Friday there were further calls for transparency about what is known.
The drone was first spotted last month, with most sightings in New Jersey's Hunterdon and Morris counties.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has been monitoring the incident and investigating witnesses for the past 10 days.
injoint statementThe FBI reiterated Friday in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that the agency has no reason to believe that drones pose a threat to national security or public safety or have “foreign ties.”
Here's what you need to know about drone sightings.
Lawmakers discover drone
Sen. Andy Kim (D.N.J.) reported seeing a drone in New Jersey, and former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan reported a sighting in New York Thursday night.
Kim was dispatched with local police to try to gather information about the sightings with her own eyes.
“It's hard for people to feel safe when unexplained drones are flying overhead and we're not getting the answers we need from a federal investigation,” Kim said in a press release Friday morning.
According to a report by the Associated Press, Rep. Dawn Fantasia said that since Nov. 18, between four and 180 aircraft have been reported to authorities from dusk to 11 p.m.
For flying objects,discoveredThe AP added that it was near the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility, and over President-elect Donald Trump's golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey.
Drones have also been seen in Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut and other parts of the Mid-Atlantic region.
Drone use for recreational and commercial purposes is legal in New Jersey, but is subject to local government and FAA regulations and flight restrictions. Operators must be FAA certified, according to the Associated Press.
Officials urge federal agencies to do more
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D.N.J.) on Friday morning urged federal agencies such as the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security to give state and local governments the authority to “safely shoot down” drones sighted in their states. requested. He added that confidential briefings are expected from the FBI, DHS and FAA next week.
Kim also sent it to me.letters to federal agenciesAlong with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (DN.Y.), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (DN.Y.), and Sen. Cory Booker (DN.J.), the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Aviation Administration, and FBI Request assistance.
Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella held a press conference Friday afternoon and called on the New York City Police Department to further investigate the drone sightings. He expressed frustration with the lack of information from state and federal agencies about where the drones are coming from.
“This is 2024. They're either lying or incompetent or both,” he added.
Representative Nicole Malliotakis of New York also joined the press conference, calling on government agencies to be “candid” with the people of New York and New Jersey to allay fears and concerns.
“The best way to respond is to be honest and tell the American people what's going on,” she said.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) also sent a letter Friday to the FAA, FBI, Department of Defense, and Department of Homeland Security, asking for clarification on the increase in drone sightings over New England.
NewsNation Washington correspondent Kelly Meyer said House Speaker Mike Johnson was briefed on the drone sightings in a confidential manner.
State response
Local officials, including Monmouth County Sheriff Sean Golden, have asked Gov. Phil Murphy (D) to declare a state of emergency.
Murphy released a letter on Friday to President Biden on Thursday. with X We are seeking additional resources and details from federal agencies regarding sightings.
“New Jersey residents need more specific information about these UAS sightings and their causes,” he wrote.
White House press conference faced criticism
White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby provided a briefing on the unidentified drone on Thursday, telling reporters there was no evidence that sightings of the drone posed a threat to national security or public safety. He also said that many of the reported sightings appear to be of legally operating manned aircraft, and that no drone sightings have been reported in restricted areas.
Mr. Kirby's relaxed response was met with backlash from New Jersey state legislators, including New Jersey State Representative Brian Bergen (R), who called Mr. Kirby an “idiot,” and Mine Hill Township, N.J., Mayor Sam Morris. He called the statement “ridiculous.”
