In recent weeks, residents along the eastern coast of the United States have reported drone sightings over residential neighborhoods, restricted areas, and critical infrastructure. These mysterious drones have sparked a storm of speculation, become the number one topic of discussion on social media, and driven East Coast residents to the brink of hysteria.

Sightings of unmanned aerial vehicles have been reported in at least six eastern U.S. states: New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Virginia.

The sightings of these mysterious drones—whose identities and origins remain unknown—have placed significant pressure on federal agencies to provide more information. Officials have urged calm, emphasizing that there is no evidence to suggest the drones pose a security threat.

Notably, drone sightings prompted Stewart Airport in New York to temporarily close its runways for about an hour on the evening of Friday, December 13.

The FBI’s Response

The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI are deploying drone detection technology and infrared cameras to assess whether the unidentified flying objects present a threat, according to ABC News. At the same time, the FBI is urging residents to report any information they might have gathered.

Meanwhile, National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby stated on Thursday, December 12, that it is believed that “many” of the drones appear to be ordinary and are being operated legally. He noted, “There is currently no evidence that the reported drone sightings pose a threat to national or public safety, nor is there any indication of foreign involvement.”

The “Outbreak” and Trump’s Take

Drone sightings began in late November, but concerns escalated after unmanned aerial vehicles were spotted near Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research facility in New Jersey, and over the golf course of President-elect Donald Trump in Bedminster.

“Mysterious sightings of unmanned aerial vehicles across the country. Can this really be happening without our government knowing? I don’t think so! Inform the public, and do it now. Otherwise, shoot them down!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Trump revisited the issue while speaking to reporters at Mar-a-Lago on Monday, December 16. The new president expressed doubts that the drones are linked to foreign powers but criticized the Biden administration for lacking transparency, arguing that the military knows exactly what’s happening.

“Look,” Trump said, “our military knows where they took off from. If it’s a garage, they can go straight to that garage. They know where they came from and where they went. And for some reason, they don’t want to comment. I think it would be better if they just said what it is,” he added.

“I can’t imagine it’s the enemy because if it were, they’d be blowing them up,” Trump remarked. “Something strange is going on—for some reason, they don’t want to tell the public, and they should,” he concluded.

“They Know What They Are”

“The government knows what these mysterious unmanned aerial vehicles flying over the East Coast are, but they’re afraid to tell us,” claimed New Jersey Senator Jon Bramnick.

Bramnick called for a state of emergency to be declared, mocking what he described as a lack of government transparency regarding the unexplained drone appearances in U.S. airspace. “Whatever these drones are doing, the government clearly doesn’t want us to know,” he said in an interview with NewsNation on Saturday, December 14, urging the Department of Defense to “clear things up with the American public.”

“There must be something they can’t tell us because they’re so afraid of how the public will react once they hear what these drones are doing,” the Republican senator argued.

Drones in the U.S.

Drones are widely used across the United States. A total of 791,597 are registered with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), almost evenly split between commercial and recreational use. They are employed in various fields, including photography, agriculture, and law enforcement.