NJ Rep Walks Back Iranian Drone 'Mothership' Theory

NEW JERSEY — U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ-2) officially walked back his claims that Iran had a drone "mothership" sitting somewhere off the New Jersey coast, sending the aircraft in to surveil sensitive sites.

“While it has been verified that Iran does have three drone ships, new satellite images show they are currently stationed off the southern coast of Iran,” he said in a statement Friday.

The congressman had called for the drones to be shot down last week, saying they are a national security threat and citing credible sources that told him they were Iranian drones.

"They believe there's a real possibility it could be Iran," he told Fox News during an appearance last Thursday, again claiming that an off-shore drone "mothership" could be behind the sightings.

Van Drew's statement Friday was welcomed by the National Iranian American Council, who had sent him a letter on Thursday asking him to retract his claims.

"At a time of heightened tensions in which war hawks are openly calling for the U.S. to attack Iran, spreading misinformation to scare Americans into fearing a so-called Iranian threat is profoundly reckless and we are glad the Congressman corrected the record,” said NIAC Policy Director Ryan Costello.

The Pentagon also refuted Van Drew's claims, with a spokesperson saying there is "no Iranian ship off the coast of the United States and there’s no so-called mothership launching drones towards the United States."

Gov. Phil Murphy also said the congressman was making a "wild" claim with "zero evidence."

In his statement, Van Drew echoed the calls of many other elected officials in asking federal officials to share more of what they know about verified drone sightings.

"It is unacceptable to hear the government contradict itself by saying they do not know who is operating these drones, while at the same time telling us there is no reason to be concerned," Van Drew said. "I remain fully committed to ensuring the security of the people of South Jersey and the nation as a whole."

Recent coverage—

• FBI, Homeland Security Provide Update On Drones In NJ Skies