Republican lawmakers, led by Marjorie Taylor Greene, have expressed outrage over unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs) hovering over New Jersey for nearly a month, with the FBI and Pentagon unable to identify them according to The Daily Mail.
Greene called the Pentagon "full of crap" over its inability to identify the UAPs. The drones have been spotted flying over New Jersey for weeks, with the FBI and Pentagon offering no solid answers. "I'm gonna call it total bulls*** that no one knows what these are," Greene said. "They can track down a guy that just killed a CEO, but they can't identify what these drones are and where they're coming from?"
The situation became more complicated when New Jersey Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew suggested that the UAPs might be drones launched from an offshore "mothership" controlled by the Iranian government.
However, Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh quickly shot down that theory. "There is no Iranian ship off the coast of the United States, and there’s no so-called mothership launching drones towards the United States," she stated, adding that no evidence connected the UAPs to any foreign adversary.
Despite these reassurances, the Pentagon still has not been able to determine the nature of the UAPs or their origin. Singh reiterated that there was no evidence linking them to hostile foreign powers. The Pentagon has also declined to offer any new information, leaving many lawmakers and the public frustrated.
As the sightings continued, concerns about the potential national security threat mounted. During a congressional hearing, FBI Assistant Director Robert Wheeler expressed worry about the UAPs but stated there was no immediate risk to U.S. citizens.
The FBI confirmed that many of the UAPs reported were actually manned aircraft, not drones, and assured the public that no confirmed drone sightings had occurred in restricted airspace.
However, these reassurances did little to calm tensions. Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Calif., voiced his concerns that the UAPs could be drones with "malevolent intent" potentially controlled by a foreign government, particularly China. "The Chinese have a lot to gain by characterizing our bases and figuring out what our security protocols are with these things," Garcia warned.
Although Garcia acknowledged the risk of collateral damage to sensitive assets at military bases, he emphasized the need to address the issue. "You have to be very careful when you do that," he said, referring to potential actions like shooting down the drones. "Some of these bases have sensitive assets that you don’t want. A $500 drone falling on a billion-dollar aircraft, right?"
Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., also expressed concern, emphasizing that local law enforcement should be able to take action if the drones pose a threat to sensitive airspace. "People deserve answers. They should know," Swalwell said. "Local law enforcement, if it’s unidentified and it’s over a sensitive space, they should be able to take it out."
New Jersey Representative Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin demanding answers about the security of military assets and communities in her state. Sherrill insisted that the U.S. government needs to ensure that the safety of both national defense resources and local communities is being given proper attention.
Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, raised alarm over the possibility that the drones could be used to target President-elect Donald Trump while he is at his golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey. "They say some of these things are the size of a damn small vehicle," Nehls remarked.
"For us not to know where they came from and who launched them is a serious problem." He went further, recommending that if any drone comes too close to Trump’s location, it should be shot down immediately. "I would highly recommend if anything even gets close to Bedminster we shoot the son of a b**** right out of the sky," Nehls said.
Rep. Jake Ellzey, R-Texas, echoed similar concerns about the drones, warning that no U.S. military base was safe anymore. "No base in the U.S. is safe anymore," Ellzey said. "We need to take appropriate precautions to ensure that our fleet of aircraft throughout the United States at all military bases is obscured and protected."
The FBI has stated that while it is continuing to investigate the UAPs in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the New Jersey State Police, it has not confirmed any visual sightings through electronic detection.
Despite the intense scrutiny, the FBI has also clarified that many of the reported sightings of UAPs were in fact manned aircraft operating legally. No confirmed drone sightings have been detected in restricted airspace.
The situation has become a political flashpoint, with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle demanding greater transparency and action from the Pentagon and FBI. While some, like Greene, are skeptical of the government's explanations, others, such as Rep. Swalwell, emphasize the need for quick responses to potential security risks.
Despite the claims from the FBI and Pentagon, many are still left asking who is behind the UAPs and what their true purpose might be. The mystery continues to stir up intense political debate, as lawmakers push for more clarity on the issue.
While the FBI and Pentagon continue their investigations, lawmakers are calling for greater oversight and better protection for U.S. military assets. With the threat of potentially hostile drones hovering over sensitive airspace, the need for decisive action has never been more urgent. As lawmakers await answers, the mystery of the UAPs shows no signs of fading away.
