- A growing number of Americans report spotting drones in the night sky
- Citizens are still waiting for answers as to why there have been more drones lately
The federal government does not have the authority to disable drones spotted over New York and Jersey, according to the head of the Department of Homeland Security.
Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas says authorities must be expanded so DHS and its partners can “take out” these mysterious drones.
It comes after newly elected President Donald Trump suggested the unmanned aircraft would be shot down.
‘Mysterious drone sightings across the country. Can this really happen without the knowledge of our government,” Trump wrote on Friday amid outrage over the ongoing mystery.
‘I don’t think so! Let the public know, now. Otherwise, shoot them!!!’ the former and future president wrote on his social media site Truth Social.
Asked if this was possible, Mayorkas told ABC News on Sunday that his office should be given more authority to take more action.
“In terms of the ability to disable these drones, we are limited in our authorities,” Mayorkas told This Week host George Stephanopoulos.
“We have certain agencies within the Department of Homeland Security that can do that, and outside of our department,” he added. ‘But we also need to expand those powers.’
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas says the government needs more authorities to stop the increase in mysterious drones spotted over several US states in the past month.
He revealed that more than 8,000 drones are flown every day in the US, including civilian and government, for both work and leisure activities.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) said Sunday that lawmakers on the congressional side are seeking more transparency on the issue of drones.
“This just can’t be happening, no one knows why this huge drone is over their house,” she told CBS News’ Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan.
Klobuchar said Congress needs a briefing on the issue, but assured that the Biden administration has “repeatedly assured people that they are safe.”
Mayorkas claims that a new law allowing drones to fly at night in the US will likely lead to an increase in reports of these sightings.
There has been massive outrage in New Jersey and New York over people seeing drones outside their homes at night.
So far, it appears officials have been caught off guard by the mysterious nationwide drone sightings and are working to identify them and address the problem.
Fears are growing over mysterious objects spotted flying through the skies in a number of US cities over the past month, particularly New Jersey, New York and Washington DC
Trump suggested on Truth Social that the government would shoot down mysterious drones
Their presence has caused both alarm and confusion, with the Pentagon criticized for its “lack of transparency” on the issue.
Mayorkas confirmed that the administration is aware of the drone sightings and reports, but did not elaborate on what is being done to resolve the problem or assure Americans that they do not pose a threat.
Trump manipulated reports about the drone sightings by making former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie the butt of the joke.
He posted on X and Truth Social this weekend an AI image of Christie eating at McDonalds with several drones delivering red takeout bags from the fast food chain Golden Arches to his rival in the 2024 election.
He fooled Chris Christie by suggesting that the drone sightings are actually just the unmanned aircraft delivering McDonalds meals to the former governor of New Jersey.