New Jersey lawmakers are sounding the alarm after dozens of unidentified drones have been reported flying over the state in recent weeks.
Gov. Phil Murphy said on Sunday that there have been 49 reports of drone activity, most of which originate in Hunterdon County, an area that borders Pennsylvania on the western part of Central New Jersey.
Murphy had announced on X last week that he met with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, members of the New Jersey congressional delegation, the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, and the New Jersey State Police, “to discuss reported drone activity over parts of North and Central New Jersey.”
Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) met with Ocean County Sheriff Mike Mastronardy on Long Beach Island on Monday to assess the unidentified drone reports. Smith said he isn’t satisfied with Murphy’s handling of the situation.
“New Jersey residents are very alarmed at this significant and reoccurring phenomenon,” Smith said, adding that citizens of the Garden State “deserve swift and bold action on the part of our state and federal agencies to investigate, assess, and address the situation immediately and to alleviate the growing concerns of our community.”
The governor does not think that the drones present a safety concern, saying on X there is “no known threat” currently facing the public.
“We are actively monitoring the situation and in close coordination with our federal and law enforcement partners on this matter,” Murphy said.
The FBI has also been investigating the claims and has encouraged help from the public to understand the origins of the sightings.
Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.) said Wednesday that he is suspicious that Iran is behind the drones.
“What we’ve uncovered is alarming—drones flying in from the direction of the ocean, possibly linked to a missing Iranian mothership. This is a national security crisis we cannot ignore. Bring them down now,” Van Drew posted 0n X.
New Jersey state Sen. Jon Bramnick called for “a limited state of emergency banning all drones until the public receives an explanation regarding these multiple sightings,” in a statement on Tuesday.
President-elect Donald Trump’s Bedminster property and Picatinny Arsenal, a government-owned military research base and firearms manufacturer, are both situated in neighboring counties and lie in close proximity to Hunterdon County.
Trump has been the target of Iranian assassination attempts this year, according to Department of Justice court documents unsealed in November.
In Trump’s first term in office, he signed the “Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act,” which imposed sanctions on Iran’s ballistic missile program, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and the sale or transfer of military equipment and technological or financial assistance.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.