What’s New
A former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent has said that the idea of shooting at the mysterious drones sighted over New Jersey is “so bad.”
Rob D’Amico, the former chief of the FBI’s counter drone unit, told MSNBC‘s Alex Witt on Sunday that President-elect Donald Trump‘s suggestion that the drones be shot down was “irresponsible,” and that doing so would be “the same legally as shooting at a manned aircraft.”
Newsweek has contacted the FBI and Trump’s transition team via email for comment.
Why It Matters
This statement from D’Amico comes after Trump wrote on social media Friday that the government should be honest about the mysterious drones with the public, and otherwise should “shoot one down.”
The FBI and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a joint statement on Thursday that there was “no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus.” However, that has not eased the concerns of local residents and officials who are troubled about the mysterious drone activity and have little authority to handle the situation.
What To Know
When asked by Witt whether Trump’s post was a good or bad idea, D’Amico replied that it was “so bad.”
He said that Trump’s suggestion of shooting down drones “is probably the worst thing you can say.”
“And if someone shoots at a drone, it is the same legally as shooting at a manned aircraft. No difference,” D’Amico said. “So if you go start shooting down drones and, I’ve seen videos of it, you might as well be shooting at an airplane full of people. It’s the same. So again, it is just irresponsible to start saying all these things.”
What People Are Saying
Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have expressed concerns about the sightings and called for additional investigations.
President-elect Donald Trump, 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!!! DJT.”
White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby in a press briefing: “The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI are investigating these sightings, and they’re working closely with state and local law enforcement to provide resources, using numerous detection methods to better understand their origin.”
New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, in a statement: “In response to my calls for additional resources, our federal partners are deploying a state-of-the-art drone detection system to New York State.”
Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene to the Daily Mail: “The government is in control of the drones and refuses to tell the American people what is going on. It really is that bad.”
Engineering professor Vijay Kumar, a drone specialist, to Newsweek: “I find it really hard to believe, as somebody who’s lived in this country for 40 years, that the U.S. government doesn’t know exactly what is going on.”
What Happens Next
In the coming weeks, public pressure on both federal and state agencies to provide definitive answers is likely to grow, as lawmakers and the public speculate about the potential threat the mysterious drones could pose to national security.
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