Pentagon Rejects Congressman’s Claims About Drones Originating from New Jersey

The United States Department of Defense, the Pentagon, has rejected recent statements by a New Jersey congressman, stating that there is no evidence that the drones observed over the state originated from a foreign entity or adversary. Jeff Van Drew, a representative from New Jersey in the U.S. House of Representatives, said on Wednesday, December 12, that credible high-level sources informed him that the mysterious drones seen flying over the skies of New Jersey may have been sent by the Islamic Republic of Iran. In an interview with Fox News, he stated, 'I serve on the Transportation Committee and the Aviation Subcommittee, and I have heard from very credible sources that the Islamic Republic of Iran likely dispatched a mother ship carrying these drones about a month ago.' This Republican lawmaker pointed out that the Iranian government collaborates with China in acquiring these technologies. Sabrina Singh, a Pentagon spokesperson, later told reporters, 'There is no Iranian mother ship involved. That is not true. There is no Iranian ship near the shores of the United States, and there has been no drone launched from a so-called mother ship towards the United States.' The New Jersey congressman shared part of his interview with Fox News on the social media platform X, stating, 'What we have discovered is alarming. The drones are flying in from the ocean, which may be related to a missing Iranian ship.' Jeff Van Drew emphasized that 'this is a national security crisis that we cannot ignore,' calling for action against such drones. He also mentioned other possibilities, including that the drones might belong to the U.S. government, in which case they would have been informed, or that they could have been flown recreationally; however, he stressed that the third possibility could be a 'hostile country.' The U.S. Department of Defense spokesperson noted in another part of her response to Van Drew's remarks that the drones observed in New Jersey do not belong to the U.S. military and that the matter is under investigation by local law enforcement. Additionally, the FBI is investigating several reports of suspicious drone flights in the center of the state, not far from the golf club of Donald Trump, the elected President of the United States. Some local residents reported seeing several drones in the sky that were different from small or commercially typical drones. The Federal Aviation Administration has assured that after reviewing reports related to unauthorized drone flights, it will take action against potential violators.