FBI, DHS claim they have 'no evidence' drone sightings over NJ are 'national security threat'

The FBI and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a statement on Friday about reports of drone sightings in New Jersey and claimed that the agencies have "no evidence" that the drones "pose a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus" and that they were "operating lawfully."  

In a joint statement from both security agencies, the FBI and DHS claimed, “We have no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus.  

"The FBI, DHS and our federal partners, in close coordination with the New Jersey State Police, continue to deploy personnel and technology to investigate this situation and confirm whether the reported drone flights are actually drones or are instead manned aircraft or otherwise inaccurate sightings," the statement added. "Historically, we have experienced cases of mistaken identity, where reported drones are, in fact, manned aircraft or facilities. We are supporting local law enforcement in New Jersey with numerous detection methods but have not corroborated any of the reported visual sightings with electronic detection."   

The agencies went on to claim that many of the reported sightings of the drones were "manned aircraft" and were "operating lawfully." They added, "There are no reported or confirmed drone sightings in any restricted air space."  

“We take seriously the threat that can be posed by unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), which is why law enforcement and other agencies continue to support New Jersey and investigate the reports," the agencies added. "To be clear, they have uncovered no such malicious activity or intent at this stage. While there is no known malicious activity occurring in New Jersey, the reported sightings there do, however, highlight the insufficiency of current authorities." 

The joint statement from the FBI and DHS comes as not only New Jersey but also Oregon and New York citizens have reported drone sightings and objects in the sky. President-elect Donald Trump posted about the sightings on Truth Social, "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, [shoot] them down!"