A recent CBS News/YouGov poll reveals that 78% of Americans believe the government is withholding information about the recent surge in drone sightings along the U.S. East Coast. About half of respondents view the drones as a potential national security threat, with concerns heightened among those suspecting foreign involvement.
According to federal agencies, residents have documented more than 5,000 drone sightings in recent weeks.
Officials say the majority of incidents involve lawful drones, misidentified aircraft or celestial objects. Despite these assurances, public skepticism remains high.
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The issue has drawn attention from Capitol Hill, where intelligence officials recently briefed lawmakers behind closed doors. Representatives from agencies like the CIA and Department of Defense stated there’s no evidence linking the drones to foreign actors or malicious activity.
White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby indicated the sightings likely involve commercial, hobbyist or law enforcement drones.
Some lawmakers expressed dissatisfaction with the briefing. Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., criticized the lack of detailed information. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., called for additional data to support claims that “manned aircraft” were mistaken for drones.
Speculation about foreign involvement persists. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, suggested some drones could be linked to China. McCaul described the drones as “adversarial.”
President-elect Donald Trump and others have called for transparency or immediate action to address the issue.
As investigations continue, the gap between official explanations and public perception remains significant. Federal agencies face mounting pressure to provide clearer answers as concerns about the sightings grow.
Tags: Central Intelligence Agency, Chinese drones, Department of Defense, Donald Trump, Drones, FBI, Federal Aviation Administration, John Kirby
[ryan robertson]
THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF AMERICANS THINK THE GOVERNMENT IS HIDING SOMETHING ABOUT ALL THOSE DRONE SIGHTINGS ON THE U-S EAST COAST. THERE’S A NEW CBS NEWS/YOUGOV POLL SHOWING 78% OF AMERICANS SUSPECT THE GOVERNMENT IS WITHHOLDING INFORMATION. AND ABOUT HALF OF THOSE SURVEYED SEE THE DRONES AS A POTENTIAL THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY, ESPECIALLY THE ONES WHO SUSPECT FOREIGN ENTITIES MAY BE INVOLVED.
THE FBI AND FAA SAY MORE THAN 5,000 DRONE SIGHTINGS were REPORTED IN RECENT WEEKS,MOST CASES REPORTEDLY INVOLVE LAWFUL DRONES, MISIDENTIFIED AIRCRAFT, OR EVEN MISIDENTIFIED STARS. BUT ANSWERS LIKE THAT AREN’T CUTTING IT FOR MANY AMERICANS INCLUDING SOME ON CAPITOL HILL.
INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS RECENTLY HELD A CLASSIFIED BRIEFING FOR LAWMAKERS. AGENCIES LIKE THE CIA AND DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE REPORTED NO EVIDENCE TYING THE DRONES TO FOREIGN ACTORS OR MALICIOUS ACTIVITY. WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY SPOKESPERSON JOHN KIRBY SAID THE SIGHTINGS LIKELY INVOLVE COMMERCIAL, HOBBYIST, OR LAW ENFORCEMENT DRONES.
SOME LAWMAKERS, HOWEVER, REMAIN DISSATISFIED. REPRESENTATIVE SCOTT PERRY CRITICIZED THE LACK OF DETAILED INFORMATION SHARED DURING THE BRIEFING, ANDREPRESENTATIVE RAJA KRISHNAMOORTHI (krish-nuh-more-thee) CALLED FOR MORE DATA TO SUPPORT CLAIMS THAT “MANNED AIRCRAFT” WERE MISTAKEN FOR DRONES.
AGAIN, THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TYING THESE DRONES TO ANY FOREIGN ACTORS–BUT THAT’S NOT STOPPING THE SPECULATION FROM SPREADING THAT FOREIGN ACTORS COULD BE INVOLVED. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL SUGGESTED CERTAIN DRONES COULD BE LINKED TO CHINA, DESCRIBING THEM AS “ADVERSARIAL.” FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AND OTHERS CALLED FOR GREATER TRANSPARENCY OR, FAILING THAT, IMMEDIATE ACTION TO REMOVE THE DRONES FROM U.S. AIRSPACE.
IF THIS IS A U-S MILITARY EXERCISE–LIKE A TEST TO SEE HOW OUR AIR DEFENCES MIGHT DO DETECTING SMALLER DRONES–IT’S VERY POSSIBLE CERTAIN ELEMENTS WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT KNOW THE TRUTH ABOUT WHAT’S HAPPENING, BUT CAN’T PUBLICLY DISCLOSE THAT INFORMATION FOR OPERATIONAL SECURITY.
WITH INVESTIGATIONS ONGOING, HOWEVER THE GAP BETWEEN OFFICIAL EXPLANATIONS AND PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS REMAINS WIDE. AND FEDERAL AGENCIES WILL CONTINUE FACING PRESSURE TO PROVIDE CLEARER ANSWERS AS CONCERNS OVER THESE DRONE SIGHTINGS GROW.
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