White House downplays mystery drones as key lawmakers demand answers
Lawmakers are demanding briefings about mysterious drone sightings in New Jersey, as the White House downplayed any potential threats to national security or the public.
WASHINGTON — Key House and Senate lawmakers are demanding that top federal law enforcement officials immediately brief them about mysterious drone sightings in New Jersey and New York as the White House downplayed any potential threats to national security or the public.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Thursday he expects to receive a classified briefing about the drones soon, saying it’s “a quandary” and he’s “anxious to find out” more.
On Thursday afternoon, John Kirby, the White House spokesman on national security matters, told reporters that the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI and state and local law enforcement agencies “have not been able to corroborate any of the reported visual sightings" of the drones.
Upon reviewing images of the sightings, law enforcement officials have concluded that “these are actually manned aircraft that are being operated lawfully” and that there have been no confirmed drone sightings in restricted airspace, Kirby said, adding that they have uncovered no malicious activity.
A White House National Security Council official told NBC News when asked about the drones, “We have no evidence at this time that these reported sightings pose a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus.”
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