Pentagon shoots down N.J. rep’s claim that drones are from Iranian ‘mothership’
A New Jersey congressman posited on Fox News Wednesday that the mysterious packs of drones buzzing over the Garden State are being launched by an Iranian "mothership" anchored off the East Coast, though the Pentagon quickly shot down the theory.
A New Jersey congressman posited on Fox News Wednesday that the mysterious packs of drones buzzing over the Garden State are being launched by an Iranian “mothership” anchored off the East Coast, though the Pentagon quickly shot down the theory.
Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew told Fox News’ Harris Faulkner that he has spoken about the matter with well-informed sources, who believe the drones spotted flying in his home state are being sent over from Iran.
“Here is the real deal,” the GOP lawmaker said. “I’m on the Transportation Committee, on the Aviation Subcommittee, and I’ve gotten to know people,” Van Drew continued. “And from very high sources, very qualified sources, very responsible sources. I’m going to tell you… Iran launched a mothership probably about a month ago that contains these drones.”
He concluded: “That mothership is off the East Coast of the United States of America.”
Within hours, the Pentagon shot down some of Van Drew’s claims with a statement to Amichai Stein, a correspondent with the Kann’s diplomatic desk.
“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,” officials said.
The series of drone sightings in New Jersey, which date back to mid-November, have sparked alarm among lawmakers and residents alike. The “fixed-wing aircrafts” — sometimes in packs as large as eight — have mostly been spotted hovering over mid- and northern New Jersey.
Many of them also appear to be bigger than drones typically used by hobbyists, sparking concern given the sightings near Donald Trump’s National Golf Club in Bedminster and the Picatinny Arsenal Military Base in Rockaway.
Van Drew’s comments come on the heels of Sen.Jon Bramnick’s call for a limited state of emergency, which could see drones temporarily banned from New Jersey airspace.
Gov. Phil Murphy has repeatedly said the drones do not pose a threat to the public and that the matter is under investigation.
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