Nearly a month after a mysterious large drone was spotted in New Jersey, Americans are left wondering what exactly the aircraft are and what exactly they’re doing in our airspace. Not even close.

FBI and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claimed They say there is no threat to national security or public safety posed by “SUV-sized” drones, many of which are “legally operated manned aircraft.” White House national security adviser John Kirby also insisted that most of the planes seen were operating legally, but acknowledged that the sightings “highlighted gaps in authority.” And on Sunday, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said: guaranteed The Americans said government agencies are currently working with state and local governments to investigate the drone. He also said the federal government needs “additional powers” (not words conservatives want to hear) to “address the drone situation.”

NEW: Alejandro Mayorkas says New Jerseyans are seeing so many drones at night because the FAA allowed them to fly at night 15 months ago.

The gaslighting continues.

Mr. Mayorkas said the government was “working on” drones before claiming he didn’t have them. pic.twitter.com/zaWUn5bdqH

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) December 15, 2024

“We are working closely with state and local officials, and as we have all said over the years, we need additional authority from Congress to address the drone issue,” Mayorkas said on ABC News. is extremely important.” “Our powers are currently limited and will soon expire. We need to extend and expand them.”

Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump said what many Americans are probably thinking, saying the drone should be shot down and that the government may know more than it’s letting on. .

President Trump: “Mysterious drone sightings reported across the country” I wrote Friday Truth Social. “Is this really happening without the government’s knowledge? I don’t think so! Let’s let the people know now or shoot them down!!!”

But statements from federal officials and White House officials don’t seem to quell fears and rampant speculation. In fact, their statements and public behavior are doing just the opposite, threatening to spark mass hysteria.

Even Democratic Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal acknowledged that federal agencies probably don’t have as much information about drones as they should. (Related: Democratic lawmakers urge Biden administration to be more ‘forward-looking’ dronewarns how CCPs can access backdoor data)

“My feeling, and this is more intuition than knowledge because I haven’t yet received the clarification that I requested, is that the federal government knows far less than it should,” Blumenthal said. . said CNN’s Kate Bolduan on Monday.

Blumenthal is right. Perhaps the government knows very little, or perhaps it knows much more and refuses to be transparent with its citizens.

Americans should have had answers from the first week the drone was discovered. trust in government historic lowAnd this was an opportunity for federal agencies like DHS to regain trust by taking swift and transparent action to help people in New Jersey and across the country sleep better.

Sadly, and to no one’s surprise, they are failing.