Gov. Phil Murphy (D-NJ) called for the federal government to pull more resources into investigating the thousands of baffling unmanned aircraft systems spotted in New Jersey and New York since Nov. 18.
Lawmakers have expressed increasing concern that the mysterious objects, often described as resembling small-car-sized drones, could pose a national security threat. As the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and an array of local and state law enforcement scrutinize the bizarre activity, Murphy indicated the federal government isn’t doing enough to alleviate constituents’ concerns in a letter to President Joe Biden on Thursday.
“While I am sincerely grateful for your administration’s leadership in addressing this concerning issue. It has become apparent that more resources are needed to fully understand what is behind this activity. This week, the FBI testified in a joint subcommittee hearing before Congress that the federal government alone cannot address UAS,” Murphy wrote.
“New Jersey residents deserve more concrete information about these UAS sightings and what is causing them. The continued reporting of UAS activity has raised more questions than answers,” the governor continued.
Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden called for a state of emergency over the situation. His demands have been similarly echoed by Republican state Sen. Jon Bramnick.
However, the FBI, DHS, and White House heavily downplayed concerns about the unidentified objects Thursday and have denied the “drones” could pose a national security threat.
“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,” the FBI and DHS said in a joint statement.
National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby added that most of the sightings have been of aircraft operating lawfully.
“While there is no known malicious activity occurring, the reported sightings there do, however, highlight a gap in authority,” he said.
The federal government’s position attracted ridicule from lawmakers, with Republican New Jersey Assemblyman Brian Bergen calling Kirby “a fool if he is going to say there is no issue” Thursday evening.
All four of New Jersey and New York’s senators expressed concern over the “drones” this week. Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) sent a letter to the FBI, DHS, and Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday demanding a swift federal briefing into the situation.
“Protecting civilian infrastructure, safety, and privacy as well as military assets and personnel will require a comprehensive response from Congress and the executive branch,” the Democratic senators wrote.
Their words come as some lawmakers have suggested that China or Iran could be using “drones” to spy on the United States. The UASs have been sighted over sensitive areas, including Picatinny Arsenal, the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, and President-elect Donald Trump’s private Bedminister golf resort.
Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) said a Coast Guard commander told him, “One of their 47-foot vessels, boats, was trailed very closely by more than a dozen of these drones.”
Kim investigated the “drones” himself with state police Thursday night, sharing his findings and observations about the unidentified objects in a series of posts to X the following day.
Noting that authorities have “tried to get closer with use of a helicopter but that the drones would turn off the lights and go dark if approached,” Kim wrote: “It’s hard to understand how with the technology we have we aren’t able to track these devices to determine origin and this makes me much more concerned about our capabilities more broadly when it comes to drone detection and counter measures.”
Meanwhile, Booker continued to express “frustration” Thursday that the government has failed to exercise “enough transparency letting people know what’s happening.”
When pressed this week as to why the state hasn’t shot the UASs down to determine what they are, Murphy said New Jersey doesn’t have the authority to carry out such an action but said he was open to the federal government doing so.
“The feds have that authority, and I’d like to see them play a more robust role. I wouldn’t be opposed to that. Let me put it that way,” Murphy said during an interview with WBGO and its affiliates, later adding that the FAA “has most of the jurisdiction here.”
Murphy was also questioned about how the federal government can assert there is no threat from the UASs when officials aren’t sure what they are.
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“I don’t have a crisp answer for you. … But I’m relying overwhelmingly on the experts on the federal government. There’s no evidence anything is armed,” he said.
The FBI held a largely inconclusive congressional hearing Tuesday on the situation, which revealed that federal investigators had received more than 3,000 reports of the UAS sightings.