NJ lawmaker calls on Department of Defense to 'immediately' probe mystery drone sightings

A New Jersey state senator is calling on the Department of Defense to investigate the recent mysterious nighttime drone sightings amid rising public frustration over a lack of answers.

"Let me be clear: The state police, this is way beyond their expertise … We know the Department of Defense has the technology to monitor these drones," State Sen. Jon Bramnick, R-N.J., told co-anchor John Roberts Wednesday on "America Reports."

"The problem is we don't have the Department of Defense in New Jersey at this time. And that's what I call for. Until the Department of Defense comes in, shuts down airspace completely to drones, do a limited state of emergency – no drones in the sky until we figure out what's going on here," Bramnick warned. "But without the Department of Defense, we will have no information because the technology is way beyond state officials." 

Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., said on "The Faulkner Focus" Wednesday that "very qualified" and "reliable" sources suspect the mysterious drones appearing in the Garden State's skies are linked to an Iranian "mothership" stationed off the U.S. East Coast, a claim later denied by the Pentagon.

Van Drew further called for the drones to be "shot down," warning of potential national security implications. 

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Bramnick said Van Drew was raising a "serious issue" and called him "not the kind of guy to make stuff up."

"Based on what Van Drew said, based on what the public is saying, based on what I know and I heard today, the Department of Defense needs to come in immediately, track these drones, find out where they're coming from and what they're doing here," Bramnick urged. 

"This is no joke. This is serious stuff. And what's most concerning is I, as a person, would never have thought that drones the size of SUVs in the sky – [I would think] the Air Force, military, somebody would know about it other than the citizens calling the FBI. That's pretty unsettling," he said. 

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On Monday, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy commented on the sightings, describing the drones as "very sophisticated" and expressing frustration over the lack of clarity about their origin. A meeting was scheduled by the governor's office for Wednesday morning in Ewing, New Jersey, but Murphy did not attend.

In response to the governor's no-show, Pequannock Mayor Ryan Herd remarked, "Where are you, Phil Murphy?"

"I've reached out to the Murphy administration. They must ask the Department of Defense to get in here and get in here quickly," said Bramnick. 

The Monmouth County sheriff's office released a statement Wednesday evening urging Murphy to declare a state of emergency and issue an executive order banning recreational drone use during nighttime hours.

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"The Monmouth County Sheriff's Office and partners in law enforcement need swift and decisive action from the State of New Jersey. A State of Emergency will help address these growing concerns and restore peace of mind in communities," read the news release. 

Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., whose district covers parts of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, said he spent Monday night on a beach and spoke to several people, including a U.S. Coast Guard commanding officer stationed in Barnegat Light.

Smith learned from the Coast Guard commander that the night before, "one of their 47-foot vessels, boats, was trailed very closely by more than a dozen of these drones."

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On December 3, the FBI's Newark field office released a statement seeking information on the reported drone sightings:

"The FBI Newark, NJ State Police, and NJ Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness are asking for the public to report any information related to the recent sightings of possible drones flying in several areas along the Raritan River. Witnesses have spotted the cluster of what look to be drones and a possible fixed wing aircraft. We have reports from the public and law enforcement dating back several weeks." 

Fox News Digital's Taylor Penley and Greg Wehner contributed to this report.