President-elect Donald Trump has promised to investigate the mysterious drone activity over his Bedminster, NJ, golf course and other sensitive areas across the United States.
Unexplained drones over Bedminster
During a meeting at Mar-a-Lago with Republican governors, Trump, 78, revealed that drones have been repeatedly spotted over Bedminster. This follows widespread reports of similar incidents in New Jersey and other states, sparking concerns among residents and lawmakers.
“They’re over Bedminster a lot,” Trump said. “I’m going to give you a report on drones about one day into the administration because I think it’s ridiculous that they’re not telling you about what’s going on with the drones.”
Governors share concerns
Several governors expressed their frustrations with federal agencies over the lack of transparency.
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin highlighted incursions over secure airspace, including areas critical to national security, such as Quantico and naval installations.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry added that suspicious drones were seen over nuclear sites in his state during a terrorist attack in New Orleans, prompting calls for greater state authority to address drone incursions.
“We’ve been asking the FAA to give states the ability to mitigate these drones,” Landry said. “It is sitting on some bureaucrat’s desk, and that’s real.”
Federal investigation
The FBI has reviewed approximately 5,000 drone sighting reports, deeming about 100 credible. However, federal officials maintain the objects pose no known threat to national security, a stance that has drawn skepticism.
Trump’s pledge
Trump criticized the Biden administration’s silence on the matter. “They don’t want to talk about it, and nobody knows why,” he said.
The president-elect promised to release a detailed report shortly after his Jan. 20 inauguration, saying, “We’ll tell you exactly what it is they know. It’s very strange that they aren’t talking about it.”
The road ahead
While officials continue to downplay the threat, Trump’s administration intends to make understanding and mitigating these drone incursions a priority early in his presidency.
