Joe Biden has opened up about the alarming number of drone sightings around the tri-state area.
The first reports of drones surfaced in New Jersey on November 18. Since then, federal authorities have received more than 5,000 tips, of which around 100 required further investigation.
Despite reassurances from officials, calls for transparency have intensified. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy revealed that drone-detecting devices were deployed in the state over the weekend.
Meanwhile, New York Senator Chuck Schumer urged the federal government to use recently declassified radar technology to uncover the source of the sightings, per the New York Post.
Biden has spoken out for the first time about the wave of drone sightings, reassuring the public that there is “no sense of danger” linked to the mysterious flights.
“Nothing nefarious apparently, but they’re checking it all out,” Biden told reporters at the White House on Tuesday. His comments came as public concern grows and lawmakers pressure federal agencies to explain the origins of the sightings.
“We’re following this closely, but so far no sense of danger,” the 82-year-old president emphasized.
Biden suggested the possibility of a “copycat” phenomenon contributing to the unusual number of reports.
“There’s a lot of drones authorized up there,” he said. “I think one started it and they all — everybody wanted to get in the deal.”
The president’s remarks align with statements from his administration, which has downplayed the sightings as routine aerial activity.
In a joint statement issued Monday, the FBI, FAA, Pentagon, and Department of Homeland Security assured the public there is little cause for alarm.
“We assess that the sightings to date include a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones, and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and stars mistakenly reported as drones,” the agencies stated.
President-elect Donald Trump, however, has criticized Biden’s administration, accusing it of withholding the truth about the drones.
“The government knows what is happening,” Trump claimed Monday. “Look, our military knows where they took off from — if it’s a garage, they can go right into that garage. They know where it came from and where it went, and for some reason they don’t want to comment.”
He continued: “And I think they’d be better off saying what it is. Our military knows and our president knows. And for some reason, they want to keep people in suspense.”
