Mystery drones over 8 US states spark fear and calls for action

The skies over America are stirring unease. Reports of mysterious drones have surfaced in at least eight US states, sparking a national debate that feels more urgent with every new sighting.

At a press conference in Mar-a-Lago on Monday, President-elect Donald Trump, said, "Something strange is going on" with East Coast drones, claiming "the government knows what’s happening" but isn’t revealing it.

"Our military and president (Biden) know about it. And for some reason, they want to keep people in suspense. "Something strange is going on, but for some reason, they don't want to tell the people," Trump added.

From Massachusetts to Ohio, the buzzing crafts have been seen everywhere, especially near critical sites, including an Air Force base, leaving communities unsettled and lawmakers demanding action.

The Biden administration's response has only added to the frustration. US officials insist there's no evidence of a security threat and suggest many sightings are just small, manned aircraft.

However, for residents watching strange objects hover above their neighbourhoods, those reassurances feel hollow. Calls to "shoot them down" have grown louder in recent days, but authorities warn such actions are illegal and could cause serious harm.

What's going on?

Florida Congressman Mike Waltz, poised to become Donald Trump’s national security adviser, called the situation a glaring failure. “How can we not figure out where these are coming from?” he asked on CBS’ "Face the Nation."

Federal agencies are scrambling to contain the uproar. The FBI says it has received 5,000 tips about the sightings, but fewer than 100 have led to credible leads. “There’s no evidence of a large-scale drone operation," an official said on Saturday, trying to calm nerves. However, even the White House has admitted that some of the objects are drones, deepening the confusion instead of dispelling it.

In Massachusetts, the response has reached new heights. Boston police are working with the Department of Homeland Security, state police, the joint terrorism task force, and Logan Airport’s air traffic control in an all-hands effort to figure out what's going on.

Senator Chuck Schumer called on Sunday for the US Department of Homeland Security to deploy better drone-tracking technology to identify the drones and their operators.

"New Yorkers have tremendous questions about it," Schumer, the Senate majority leader, told reporters about the drone sightings. “We are going to get the answers for them.”

A nefarious plot

Dozens of mysterious nighttime flights started last month over parts of New Jersey, raising concerns among residents and officials. Part of the worry stems from the flying objects initially being spotted near the Picatinny Arsenal, a US military research and manufacturing facility, and over Trump's golf course in Bedminster.

Drones are legal in New Jersey for recreational and commercial use, but they are subject to local and Federal Aviation Administration regulations and flight restrictions.

Speculation has raged online, with some expressing concerns that the drone or drones could be part of a nefarious plot by foreign agents.

Officials stress that ongoing state and federal investigations have found no evidence to support those concerns, but Representative Chris Smith echoed such speculation.

“The elusive manoeuvring of these drones suggests a major military power sophistication that begs the question whether they have been deployed to test our defence capabilities — or worse — by violent dictatorships,” he said.

The federal government did little to answer those questions in its own media briefings on Sunday. "There’s no question that people are seeing drones," US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos. "But I want to assure the American public that we are on it. We are working in close coordination with state and local authorities.”

Still, for residents on the ground, the unease remains. As the drones hover silently above, their origins unknown, America is left wondering who, or what, is behind them.