The drone should be shot down and investigated by federal authorities, representatives said

A New Jersey lawmaker wanted a drone — and he still wants one.

Republican Congressman Chris Smith is demanding the Pentagon shoot down one of these about 1,000 drones It has been observed over the Garden State since November 19, so answers may be available.

“Why can’t we at least take a drone and get to the bottom of this?” Smith asked during a Saturday news conference in Seaside Heights. “Why can’t we trace a suspicious drone to its origin? “Do we have too little control over our airspace?”

Smith echoed feelings have already been expressed By President-elect Donald Trump, who also wants one of those drones removed.

drone sighted This has been plaguing New Jersey and New York residents for weeks. Federal officials still can’t say what they are or where they’re from, but recent speculation has been that people on the ground are misidentifying helicopters and small airplanes.

“How does Secretary (Alejandro) Mayorkas, who infamously told us for years that our southern border was secure and closed — when it was and is not — now insult our intelligence by saying ‘we haven’t seen anything unusual? ‘Is this normal?’ Smith sneered.

Smith criticized federal officials for dismissing the sighting as no threat to civilians.

“How can anyone predict or assure the thousands of Americans who have seen drones that there is no threat?” Smith asked.

In addition to civilians, a police officer and a ship filled with Coast Guard members have reported seeing swarms of drones flying over the Atlantic Ocean.

Smith said, “The elusiveness of these drones suggests a major military power sophistication that raises questions about whether they have been deployed to test our defense capabilities or, worse still — to test Russia, China, Iran or By violent dictatorships, including North Korea.”

The Pentagon has denied that it is deploying drones.

Smith announced, “I have written to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin asking the Pentagon to authorize the use of force to bring down one or more of these unmanned threats in order to demystify drones.”

He said, “Knowing how fundamentally drone warfare has fundamentally changed warfare in Ukraine and Russia, the Middle East, and elsewhere, this is not the time to trivialize or dismiss the threat.”

Smith said he has also begun drafting legislation “to empower state police to seriously protect persons and infrastructure at risk and, if necessary, to shoot down a dangerous drone or drones” .