Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey said Wednesday the drones sighted over his state are a “clear and present danger” to the country and specifically to President-elect Donald Trump.
There have been numerous sightings over the past month, including over 50 drones moving overland from the ocean this past weekend.
FBI Assistant Director Robert Wheeler testified before the House Homeland Security Committee Tuesday that the agency does not know the source of the drones, but is “actively investigating” the matter.
Asked whether they pose a danger to the public or a national security risk, Wheeler responded, “There is nothing that is known that would lead me to say that, but we just don’t know, and that’s the concerning part.”
Van Drew told Fox News on Wednesday, “[F]rom very high sources, very qualified sources, very responsible sources, I’m going to tell you the real deal.”
“Iran launched a mothership, probably about a month ago that contains these drones. That mothership is off the east coast of the United States of America,” he continued.
“They’ve launched drones … I don’t say this lightly. Now, you know, we know there was a probability it could have been our own government. We know it’s not our own government, because they would have let us know,” Van Drew said.
The congressman stated regarding the drones, “We’ve gotta bring ’em down.”
Should these drones be shot down?
Van Drew acknowledged that it could be another entity besides Iran that is responsible for the large drones, but he doubted any private group could be behind the undertaking, given the technology involved.
The lawmaker emphasized that he is not just trying to make news by going on air. “I’m telling you the straight deal from very high-positioned individuals,” he said.
Fox News host Harris Faulkner expressed alarm that at least some of the drones are reportedly the size of SUVs, making them a potential threat to those on the ground if shot down.
Faulkner also noted that the drones are flying in the area of Trump’s Bedminster, New Jersey home.
“Right now, they’re probably extracting information. This is a clear and present danger to the United States and to our president-elect, and it’s a serious business,” Van Drew suggested.
Defense Department deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters later on Wednesday, “At this time, we have no evidence that these activities are coming from a foreign entity or the work of an adversary.”
“… At no point were our [military] installations threatened when this activity was occurring,” she added.
Regarding Van Drew’s assertion of an Iranian mothership being the source of the drones, Singh said, “There is not any truth to that. There is no Iranian ship off the coast of the United States, and there’s no so-called mothership launching drones towards the United States.”
🚨 JUST IN: The Pentagon is now DENYING earlier report from a NJ Congressman of a so-called “mothership” from Iran launching drones from off the coast of the Eastern U.S.
What is going on? pic.twitter.com/KKJo2Jd3Ef
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) December 11, 2024
Van Drew is not the only lawmaker raising questions about the drone sightings.
NewJersey.com said New Jersey GOP Rep. Chris Smith also reported between 12 and 30 drones were spotted following a U.S. Coast Guard vessel Sunday night off the New Jersey shoreline.
GOP Sen. Josh Hawley, who servers on the Homeland Security Committee, told Fox News Tuesday night that he does not think the federal government is being fully forthright about what it knows about the drones.
If our government really doesn’t know what these giant drones are over New Jersey and our military bases, they’re even more incompetent than we thought. Time for them to level with us about what’s really going on pic.twitter.com/d8ADMgnYoD
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) December 11, 2024
He argued, “If our government really has no idea, then they’re even more incompetent than I thought. We’ve got to get to the bottom of this, and they need to level with the American people about what’s going on.”
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