Key lawmakers from the House of Representatives and the Senate demand answers from officials to comply with federal law and report on the mysterious drones sighted in New Jersey and New York, while the White House downplayed it and denied it was a threat.
House of Representatives demands a response
The Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, said he hopes to receive classified information about the objects: it is "a dilemma" and he is "eager to know" more.
While John Kirby, White House spokesperson on national security issues, told journalists that the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, and state and local law enforcement agencies "have not been able to corroborate any of the reported visual sightings" of the drones.
Similarly, as Kirby stated, officials in charge concluded that "they are actually manned aircraft operating legally" and that there have been sightings of drones in restricted airspace, in addition to not finding any malicious activity.
What does the White House say about drones?
NBC News contacted an official from the White House National Security Council and stated, "We do not have evidence at this time that these reported sightings represent a threat to national or public security or have a foreign nexus."
However, lawmakers are calling for an immediate response because drones have been circling the skies of New Jersey and other states for weeks.
Letter written by Democratic legislators
Democratic senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim from New Jersey, and Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand from New York, sent a letter to the Secretary of Homeland Security, the FBI, and the head of the Federal Aviation Administration demanding an explanation:
"The potential security risks posed by these drones in civilian areas are especially relevant when considering the recent incursions with drones at sensitive military sites inside and outside the continental United States over the past year. Protecting civilian infrastructure, security, and privacy, as well as military assets and personnel, will require a comprehensive response from Congress and the executive branch," wrote the senators.
“For this reason, we request that the information you provide also includes the authorities, tools, or personnel that your agencies may need to address these ongoing incidents and the broader security challenge posed by UAS,” they continued.