Drone Sightings Cause Range of Reactions among U.S. Leaders
- Elizabeth Delaney Headlines Contributor
- Updated Dec 15, 2024
It's like being in the middle of the old War of the Worlds radio drama, except that the reason people are panicking is because of drones, not aliens – at least as far as anyone knows so far. Mysterious flying objects have been sighted in the skies of multiple counties in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. They've also been sighted flying over President-elect Trump's private golf course, the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility, and various other locations in the Mid-Atlantic region, according to The Hill.
Drones Sighted Are Atypical
Most believe the objects are drones, but they aren't like the commercial ones people are used to seeing. These have been reported to range in size from a small car to an SUV. They have blinking lights on them, but the lights aren't always on.
"These are apparently … as I understand it, very sophisticated," New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy told a group of reporters, according to The Hill.
"The minute you get eyes on them, they go dark. And, you know, we're obviously most concerned about sensitive targets and sensitive, critical infrastructure. We've got military assets, we've got utility assets, we've got the president-elect's, one of his homes, here. This is something we're taking deadly seriously," Murphy added.
FBI and DHS Release Joint Statement
Nevertheless, The FBI and DHS said in a joint statement picked up by Reuters on Thursday that "it appears that many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft, operating lawfully. There are no reported or confirmed drone sightings in any restricted air space."
"While there is no known malicious activity occurring, the reported sightings there do, however, highlight a gap in authority," White House spokesperson John Kirby said in a news briefing picked up by Reuters.
Mine Hill Township Mayor Sam Morris Deeply Offended by Joint Statement
"I have to tell you, that's incredulous. I'm incredulous about that. That is ridiculous," Sam Morris, the mayor of Mine Hill Township — less than an hour outside of Newark — responded in an interview with ABC News picked up by The Hill.
He went on to detail that, "You look up in the sky and you see them, and some of them are just hovering and sitting. Sorry, that's not a man's small airplane. It's not a Cessna."
In another counter to the joint statement, Naval Weapons Station Earle, which is located in Colts Neck, New Jersey, specified that there were "multiple" incidents of drones entering their airspace.
"While no direct threats to the installation have been identified, we can confirm multiple instances of unidentified drones entering the airspace above Naval Weapons Station Earle," Bill Addison, public affairs officer for the naval station, told ABC News in a statement. He added, "The base remains prepared to respond to any potential risks, leveraging robust security measures and advanced detection capabilities."
Rep. Jeff Van Drew and President-elect Trump Say Drones Should be Shot Down
U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J. went public with Harris Faulkner of Fox News about the intense concerns he has regarding the situation, according to WND.
"From very high sources, very qualified sources, very responsible sources, I'm gonna tell you the real deal," said Van Drew, a member of House Judiciary Committee, "Iran launched a mother ship, probably about a month ago, that contains these drones. That mother ship is off …the east coast of the United States of America… They've launched drones…and again, these are from high sources. I don't say this lightly."
He went on to explain a deal that Iran made with China "to purchase drones, mother ships, and technology in order to go forward. The sources I have are good. They can't reveal who they are because they are speaking to me in confidentiality.
"These drones should be shot down whether it was some crazy hobbyist that we can't imagine or whether it is Iran. I think it very possibly could be. They should be shot down. We are not getting the full deal, and the military is on alert with this."
The Pentagon is denying his claim about the Iranian mother ships.
On Friday evening, President-elect Trump basically expressed he is in agreement with Van Drew about how the situation should be handled. The Hill picked up a post on his Truth Social account in which he made his opinion known.
"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, shot them down!!! DJT"
Drones used by the military have capabilities for gathering information that goes way beyond what most people realize. You can gather cell phone signals or pick up IP addresses and different frequencies in the air and track nuclear radiation. All drones have to do is fly over sensitive sites for seconds, and the information is obtained. Foreign militaries are especially adept at this, according to Fox News.
Monmouth County New Jersey Sheriff Wants State of Emergency Declared
Monmouth County, New Jersey, Sheriff Shaun Golden is suggesting that the New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy should declare a state of emergency in connection to the drone sightings, according to Fox News.
When asked how this would help, Golden said he believed it would press the federal government to investigate more intensely. He said there have been hundreds of reports from multiple counties, and their tips are going to the FBI, but they aren't seeing much of a response from them at this time. He added that there have been hundreds of reports of sightings from multiple counties, many of which are from sources that are well-trained.
Photo Credit: ©YouTube/ABC News
