Biden on Drones: What, Me Worry?

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Swarms of drones have inexplicably filled the skies on the northern Atlantic seaboard. No one has an explanation for their sudden appearance and persistence. Their presence interferes with airport operations in America’s biggest city. Even prominent Democrats such as New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Senate Majority (for now) Leader Chuck Schumer demand answers from the federal government about their presence.

After a few weeks, Joe Biden finally addressed the issue publicly by, er … offering up a Chip Diller:

Biden finally addresses the drones that have been hovering above the East Coast for weeks: “Nothing nefarious, apparently.”

“I think one started and they all got— everybody wanted to get in their deal.” pic.twitter.com/x6M2iJRAIp

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) December 18, 2024

President Joe Biden dismissed conspiracy theories surrounding the rash of drone sightings across the Northeast over the last few weeks after President-elect Donald Trump claimed the federal government appeared to be withholding information on the reports.

“Nothing nefarious, apparently,” Biden said Tuesday when queried by reporters at the White House. “We’re following it closely. So far no sense of danger.”

Biden’s comment reaffirmed a joint statement issued this week by the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, FAA and the Pentagon saying that − based on preliminary investigations − the sightings appear to include legal commercial, hobbyist and law enforcement drones, as well as airplanes, helicopters and “stars mistakenly reported as drones.”

“Nothing nefarious, apparently“? There’s a confidence builder! Note that Biden doesn’t actually have any explanation to offer, and in fact sounds as though he hasn’t paid much attention to the issue despite public demands from Hochul, Schumer, and other high-ranking officials who clearly aren’t convinced. Even Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas did better than Biden:

“There’s no question that people are seeing drones. And I want to assure the public that we, in the federal government, have deployed additional resources, personnel, technology, to assist the New Jersey State Police in addressing the drone sightings.”

 In other words: Come on, man. 

Biden’s explanation — such as it is — doesn’t make much sense either, although it might explain part of the phenomena. Hobbyists and law enforcement have used drones for years now. This is not a new industry, and the experimentation phase passed long ago. Are a few of the sightings related to hobbyists and law enforcement? Possibly, but that doesn’t explain the sudden rapid increase in drones over the tri-state area, especially given the higher-end models that witnesses have described. Both groups know better than to fly drones into air traffic spaces too, and not to fly them over potentially sensitive locations:

In recent weeks, a wave of drone activity has been reported across New York and New Jersey. Speculation is growing over why the number of sightings has increased, where the drones may have come from and who is flying them.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and local law enforcement officials are investigating the sightings, some of which took place near critical infrastructure sites and military installations, but authorities have offered few conclusive answers, leading to rampant speculation among members of the public.

Needless to say, Biden’s vague reassurances won’t satisfy people who see this as anything but aviation business as usual. That includes even more Democrats, such as Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey. She told Boston 25 News that “it’s very important for Congress to act” on the drone wave, especially in allowing states to deal with drone intrusions. There’s no other way to read that as anything other than a slap at the Biden administration’s lack of response to this series of events. 

It’s not any better for Biden on Capitol Hill, either. House Intel chair Jim Himes (D-CT) told reporters after a classified briefing that “we have no idea who owns these drones, assuming these drones are in fact drones.” If these are in fact airplanes, the FAA would be able to identify them and debunk the idea of drone swarms easily.  The fact that “we have no idea who owns these drones” not only suggests that they’re not normal airplanes, but that there is something potentially nefarious going on given their flight patterns — and that the Biden administration has no idea what it is or how to deal with it. 

Biden’s statement adds another impression: He doesn’t much care about it, either, except in how much it allows Donald Trump to point out the sheer incompetence of his administration. 

I’d give Biden a Chip Diller Award for this statement, but Diller really sold it better.