New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said he has spoken with state and federal officials about unusual drone activity in parts of the area, including near President-elect Trump's Bedminster Golf Club, but does not believe it poses a threat to public safety. He emphasized that there is no such thing.
In a post on X on Thursday, Murphy said he had convened a meeting with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, top officials from DHS, state police, the state's Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, and New Jersey's congressional delegation.
“We are actively monitoring the situation and working closely with our federal and law enforcement partners on this matter,” he wrote. “There is no known threat to the general public at this time.”
Drones have been seen flying in Somerset and Morris counties in recent weeks. In a Nov. 25 video, Morris County resident Mike Walsh spots a drone flying over Black River Middle School in Chester. Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster is located in Somerset County.
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There have been recent reports of drone sightings in the Garden State. (Nicholas Rody)
Other drone sightings in the Garden State include Bernardsville, Mendham and Parsippany. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed Tuesday that it has issued two special alerts following unusual drone sightings over northern and central New Jersey on Nov. 18. flight restrictions.
One involves flying over President Trump's compound and will be in place until the end of this week.
“At the request of federal security partners, the FAA has issued two Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) prohibiting drone flights over Picatinny Arsenal.” military base and Trump National Golf Club Bedminster,” the agency said.
Rep. Tom Keene (R.N.J.) spoke by phone Wednesday with Mr. Murphy, Mr. Mayorkas, and other government and law enforcement officials.
“We continue to urge federal authorities to ensure that the public fully understands the situation and to work quickly to resolve the situation,” he wrote in the X on Thursday.
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Authorities are investigating unusual drone activity in northern New Jersey, including the area around Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster. (Getty Images)
New Jersey Sen. Anthony Bucco, a Republican, said in a statement that some of the drones flew over his home.
“We are confident that there is no known imminent threat posed by these devices,” he said. “Our law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, continue to gather information about drones and provide the public with information as it becomes available.”
Rep. Rebecca “Miki” Sherrill (D.N.J.) said she will continue to stay in close contact with the investigation and will share any updates as they arise.
Staten Island Mayor Vito Fossella is asking the FBI to expand its investigation into drone sightings to include the skies above New York City's boroughs. Fossella said in a letter to law enforcement that a drone flight prevented a medical helicopter from transporting a seriously injured accident victim to a hospital in Branchburg Township, New Jersey. .
Staten Island Borough President Vito Foscella and Congressman Sam Pirozzolo lead a press conference to discuss drug seizures on October 6, 2023 in Staten Island, New York. (Theodore Parisienne for the New York Daily News, via Getty Images)
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“It begs the question of what other impacts these drones may be having,” Fossella said. “Staten Island has two hospital systems and we are very concerned that these drones could disrupt life-saving care in medical emergencies.”
Fox News Digital has contacted the FBI.
Fox News Digital's Andrea Margolis contributed to this report.
