Donald Trump on Truth Social: Shoot down mystery drones

President-elect Donald J. Trump is urging that the government shoot down the mystery drones that have been flying over New Jersey unless they can say say who is operating the crafts.

“Mystery Drone sightings all over the Country,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “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!”

New Jersey has seen an alarming number of drones flying overhead since mid-November, including near Trump’ home at his golf club in Bedminster. There have also been reports of drones hovering over military installations including Naval Weapons Station Earle and Picatinny Arsenal, at least one reservoir and critical infrastructure.

White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby said Thursday that many of the drone sightings in New Jersey are actually lawfully operated manned aircraft, and that they pose no national security or public threat.

When asked why the government hadn’t shot down one of the drones to examine it, Kirby said in an interview on Fox News Friday that “we have to develop policy options” to make sure the public wasn’t injured by the action.

The mystery of the unidentified drones has fascinated the public. Groups of people go out drone-hunting at night. Sen. Andy Kim, D-NJ, went to Hunterdon County to observe drones. He reported on X, the social media platform, that he met with local law enforcement at Round Valley Reservoir, armed with a flight tracker app to help distinguish drones from airplanes.

“We often saw about 5-7 lights at a time that were low and not associated with aircraft we could see on the tracker app. Some hovered while others moved across the horizon.

“We saw a few that looked like they were moving in small clusters of 2-4. We clearly saw several that would move horizontally and then immediately switch back in the opposite direction in maneuvers that plane can’t do,” Kim wrote.

“The police officer said they see them out every night … The officer said they’ve tried to get closer with use of a helicopter but that the drones would turn off the lights and go dark if approached,” he said.

On Thursday, Gov. Phil Murphy and congressional representatives wrote to President Biden citing growing concerns around unmanned aircraft systems in and around the New Jersey airspace and asking for increased federal assistance.

On Tuesday, federal officials admitted during a congressional hearing that despite repeated assurances from Gov. Murphy and other public officials, they can’t say definitively whether the drones pose a threat.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Donald Trump to feds: Shoot mystery drones down