Reports of an unidentified drone in New Jersey are troubling lawmakers at the state and federal levels

A member of the US parliament asked that the mysterious drones seen flying over sensitive areas in New Jersey and other parts of the mid-Atlantic region be “shot down, if necessary,” as it is not yet clear who owns them.

“We have to do a very urgent research and get them out of the sky, especially if they fly over airports or military bases,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut on Thursday as concerns about drones spread on Capitol Hill.

People in New York state are also concerned about the possibility of drones sharing flight with commercial aircraft, he said, demanding more clarity from the Biden administration.

The White House said there was no evidence of a national security or public safety threat. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said there were no reported sightings of any restricted aircraft. He said the US Coast Guard has never revealed any foreign involvement in coastal vessels.

“Using state-of-the-art electronic surveillance technology provided by federal authorities, we have not been able to — and neither have state or local law enforcement authorities — confirmed any reported sightings,” Kirby said. “On the contrary, when reviewing the available images, it appears that most of the sightings are actually manned aircraft operating legally.”

Iranian claims of ‘motherhood’ are included

The FBI has been investigating and has asked citizens to share any videos, photos or other information about the drones. On Wednesday, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said they were not US military drones.

Singh dismissed the US attorney general’s claims that Iran may have launched drones over New Jersey from “motherland.”

“There is no Iranian ship off the coast of the United States and no so-called ‘mothership’ launching drones towards the United States,” he said.

Jeff Van Drew, a member of the House who switched to the Republican Party from the Democrats in 2020, said he exposed what appears to be a plot by Iran.

“What we found is scary – drones flying from the sea, which may be connected to the missing Iranian mother,” X said on social media.

Van Drew did not provide further evidence for what he said in an interview with Fox News on Thursday when he criticized the Pentagon.

“We’re not being told the truth,” Van Drew responded Thursday on Fox News. “They treat the American public like we’re stupid.”

The number of sightings has increased in recent days, although officials say many of the sightings are likely to be aircraft and not drones. One drone may have been reported more than once, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said on local radio Wednesday night.

Murphy said that only federal authorities have the authority to shoot down any craft, and suggested that Van Drew was not interested in this comment.

“I’m not sure what he’s been watching lately, but he might want to watch the news,” Murphy said. “Israel cut off Iran, and because of the economic sanctions, I don’t think they have any boats off the coast of Iran right now. Let’s not be afraid of this.”

Lawmakers are frustrated

The concern stems in part from flying objects initially seen near the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility, and president-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster.

In a post on social media X, state legislator Dawn Fantasia described drones that are up to 1.8 meters in diameter and sometimes fly with their lights off.

Drones are legal in New Jersey for recreational and commercial use but are subject to local and Federal Aviation Administration laws and flight restrictions. Operators must have FAA certification.

Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey said he was frustrated by the lack of transparency.

“We have to know what’s happening over our skies,” Booker said Thursday.

“It allows a lot of false information to spread or at least scare people,” he added.

Fantasia, a Morris County Republican, was among several lawmakers who met with state police and Homeland Security officials to discuss sightings in the New York City area across New Jersey and western parts of Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia.

Republican Jersey Shore-area congressman Chris Smith said a U.S. Coast Guard officer notified him of an incident over the weekend in which dozens of drones followed a Coast Guard motorboat “in high pursuit” near Barnegat Light and Island Beach State Park in Ocean. The district.