Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., called out the Biden administration during a press conference Saturday about the recent drone sightings that have stumped U.S. officials.
The unidentified drone sightings, which have been observed flying above U.S. military installations and New Jersey homes since mid-November, have caused concern in the Garden State.
The aircraft have also been spotted in Connecticut. On Thursday, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., called for the drones to be “shot down” if necessary.
On Saturday, U.S. officials held a phone conference with reporters and appeared to downplay concerns about the drones, saying there was no evidence linking the aircraft to foreign adversaries.
Speaking from Seaside Heights, New Jersey, Smith said he asked DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas why the drones’ origins are still unknown.
“I asked Secretary Mayorkas at a briefing, a Zoom briefing, why we can’t follow them, find out where they’re going,” the Republican told reporters. “They’re coming from somewhere. … You can’t seem to do that.
“Why can’t we follow them and find what their origin is? Many of them seem to be coming from the ocean.”
The representative also mentioned that he contacted Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin to ask the U.S. military to authorize the use of force against the unusual drones.
“I’ve written Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin asking the Pentagon to authorize the use of force to down one or more of these unmanned threats to uncover the mystery, bring them down over the ocean, over an area where there’s no population,” Smith said. “Bring them down and find out who’s doing it.”
The New Jersey politician also expressed the belief the drones may be tied to at least one foreign government.
“The elusive maneuvering of these drones, I would suggest, suggests a major military power sophistication,” the Republican said. “That begs the question whether they have been deployed to test our defense capabilities or worse, by violent dictatorships, perhaps maybe Russia or China or Iran or North Korea.
“I mean, they had the capability, and they certainly have the motive,” Smith added. “The Pentagon has said the drones are not ours.”
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