Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut and chair of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, speaks during a hearing in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) has called for the drones spotted flying over New Jersey and other parts of the northeast to be shot down “if necessary” as the mystery continues over who is responsible for the unmanned aerial vehicles. Why it matters: The call for potential action comes as the White House said the drones have not been involved in any malicious activity, but lawmakers from the impacted states have grown frustrated by a lack of answers amid safety concerns.
• “We should be doing some very urgent intelligence analysis and take them out of the skies, especially if they’re flying over airports or military bases,” Blumenthal said according to the AP.
• Two New Jersey Reps. Chris Smith (R) and Jeff Van Drew (R) were the first to call for the drones to be shot down.
Driving the news: Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Andy Kim (D-N.J.) requested a briefing Thursday on actions that federal agencies and local law enforcement are undertaking to identify the source of the drones.
• The senators requested the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, FBI and the Federal Aviation Administration respond by Dec. 23.
What they’re saying: “The potential safety and security risks posed by these drones in civilian areas is especially pertinent considering recent drone incursions at sensitive military sites in and outside of the continental United States over the past year,” the letter from the four senators said.
• Blumenthal, who sits on the Senate’s Homeland Security and Governmental Committee, said that the Biden administration “ought to be acting more aggressively against these drones.”
• “The lack of information is absolutely unacceptable,” Blumenthal said according to the AP.
• Booker echoed the frustration, though he did not place blame on any specific agency. “We should know what’s going on over our skies,” he said, per the AP.
Zoom out: Federal investigators have not corroborated any of the sightings, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said on Thursday during a news conference.
• “On the contrary, upon review of available imagery, it appears that many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft that are being operated lawfully,” he said.
• Kirby confirmed there is no evidence of foreign involvement from coastal vessels, backing the Pentagon’s Wednesday statement after Van Drew suggested an Iranian “mothership” located off the East Coast was launching the drones.
Go deeper: What to know about New Jersey drone sightings