Trump calls for Biden administration to disclose more information on drone sightings

As drone sighting around New Jersey, Massachusetts and other Eastern states continue to draw public attention, President-elect Donald Trump spoke out at a press conference, saying “something strange is going on.”

His remarks came on the same day two men in Boston appeared in court on trespassing charges in connection with a drone flight police say they were conducting encroached too closely to Logan airport.

“The government knows what’s happening,” Trump stated at a Mar-a-Lago press conference. … “They know where it came from and where it went and for some reason they don’t want to comment. And I think they’d be better off saying what it is our military knows and our president knows.”

Residents and police have reported a large number of drones spotted throughout New Jersey, Massachusetts, New York and other Northeast states growing over the last week.

The President-elect declined to say whether he’d received an intelligence briefing on the drone sightings and stated he would be cancelling a weekend trip to Bedminster, New Jersey.

“I can’t imagine it’s the enemy, because if it was the enemy, they’d blast it out,” Trump said. “Something strange is going on.”

Pentagon officials spoke to reporters earlier Monday, reiterating that the “vast majority of drones” pose no threat or impact to military operations. The FBI and DHS released a joint statement last week stating they have “no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus.”

“Flying drones is not illegal,” said Pentagon spokesperson Major General Pat Ryder on Monday. “There are 1000s of drones flown around the U.S. on a daily basis. So, as a result, it’s not that unusual to see drones in the sky, nor is it an indication of malicious activity or any public safety threat.”

Two men were arraigned in Dorchester District Court on Monday on counts of trespassing related to flying drones in “hazardous air space” around Long Island and Boston Harbor near Logan airport on Saturday.

Robert Duffy, 42, of Charlestown, and Jeremy Folcik, 32, of Bridgewater, were both charged with trespassing, breaking and entering, and violating a municipal ordinance or bylaw, and released without bail. Judge Erika Reis ordered the defendants to stay away from Long Island and not operate drones.

“There are many areas in Massachusetts to safely operate drones,” said Suffolk DA Kevin Hayden. “But flying them from an area closed to the public while creating a potential public safety hazard in the process is conduct that will land people in court to answer to criminal charges, which is exactly what happened here.”

Gov. Maura Healey released a statement over the weekend saying officials are “monitoring the situation closely” in Massachusetts.

Around 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Boston Police responded to reports of an unmanned aircraft being flown in hazardous proximity to Logan Airport. The cops spotted a light on in the building and a figure in the window at the scene and climbed to the second floor of the building via a fire escape.

The officers found Folcik and Duffy in the building. Duffey admitted to flying the plane, and the pair told officers they’d been taken by boat to the island by a third missing man, who’s name they did not know. The police were unable to locate the third man.

The DA’s office said data from the drone’s serial number showed six recorded flights on Saturday and seven recorded flights on Dec. 7.

The men are scheduled to return to court on Feb. 6 for pre-trial hearings.