Community Corner
NJ Drone Mystery: Trump Vows To Release Report Quickly
The president asked his chief of staff to get to work "immediately" on a report about the flurry of drone activity in Garden State skies.
NEW JERSEY — While signing a number of executive orders on Monday, President Donald Trump also asked his chief of staff to get to work on a report about drone activity in New Jersey.
The president's own Bedminster golf club is one of the areas of New Jersey where drone flight restrictions were issued, and Trump said previously that he thought the Biden administration knew more than they were letting on about the mysterious flights.
“Our military knows and our president knows and for some reason they want to keep people in suspense,” he had said. "I can't imagine it's the enemy because if it was the enemy, they'd blast it out."
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Earlier in January, Trump had vowed to make a report available "about one day into the administration."
A reporter asked Trump on Monday if he thought the drones were anything for people to be worried about.
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"I would like to find out what it is and tell the people,” he said, turning to address his chief of staff Susie Wiles.
"Why don't we find out immediately?" he asked her.
Authorities began investigating reports of drones hovering around Garden State communities and near important infrastructure more than two months ago, with multiple federal agencies involved in the investigation. And despite concerns from residents and local officials about the aircrafts' origin and purpose, those agencies insist there is no threat to the public — even though they put up drone flight restrictions in dozens of towns.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation told Patch they have received more than 6,000 tips about drone activity in the state, about 100 of which warranted further investigation.
"I can't imagine it's an enemy, or people would have gotten blown up all over," Trump added on Monday. "Maybe they were testing things. I don't know why they wouldn't have said what it was."
"They had a lot of them flying over Bedminster," he continued.
Flight restrictions remain in effect over Trump's Somerset County golf club until Jan. 31, per the Federal Aviation Administration.
The White House did not immediately reply to Patch's request about when the report may be released.
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