Headline Roundup • December 16th, 2024
Mystery Drone Sightings Increase
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Sightings of mystery drones have increased in New Jersey, New York, and other states.
Key Details: The sightings have increased pressure on federal agencies to provide more information while the FBI investigates the drone clusters over New Jersey. Meanwhile, officials are urging calm and emphasizing that there is "no evidence suggesting the sightings pose a security threat" and that it could be manned aircraft. In response to the sightings, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) released a statement on Sunday expressing gratitude for the support from the federal government and announcing the deployment of a drone detection system.
Key Quote: “I want to assure the American public that we are on it,” Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.”
For Context: New York Stewart International Airport shut down Friday due to unidentified flying objects, causing Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to ask Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to send "special drone-detection tech" to New York and New Jersey. The drones have raised concerns among many people in New Jersey, including podcaster Joe Rogan, who posted on X that he is "genuinely concerned."
How the Media Covered it: CNN (Lean Left bias) noted that local politicians are continuing to call for more information and resources to investigate the drone sightings, despite reassurances from federal authorities. The Washington Times (Lean Right bias) noted that New Jersey leaders say the Biden Administration's claim that most of the drones might be regular aircraft is a "demeaning answer" to residents, given what they have seen with their own eyes.
Featured Coverage of this Story
CNN Digital
Mysterious flying objects overhead. Concern and confusion. And calls for military intervention.
This isn’t the plot of “War of the Worlds,” but rather the result of numerous possible drone sightings in recent weeks. The flying objects have been spotted over residential neighborhoods, restricted sites and critical infrastructure.
The sightings have put intense pressure on federal agencies to provide more information about the aircraft, as officials have urged calm and emphasized there is no evidence suggesting the sightings pose a security threat.
“I want to assure the American public that we are on...
Newsweek
Joe Rogan is one of many people worried about the mysterious drones appearing over New York and New Jersey.
The podcast host took to X to share his thoughts on the drones, which have been spotted in recent weeks and triggered an FBI investigation. On Sunday, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said there was no need for concern, there was no evidence the drones were a threat to public safety and that there was "no foreign involvement with respect to the sightings."
But Rogan was not buying the explanation, describing it as "sus."
"I...
Washington Examiner
Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) has announced federal authorities will deploy a “state-of-the-art drone detection system” to the Empire State, after a flurry of reports of unknown drone sightings. The White House has stressed that the flying objects do not pose any threat and may be a “slight overreaction” from the public, but federal officials have garnered criticism over not providing enough information about the objects. Hochul announced the deployment of the system in a statement on Sunday and shared her gratitude for the support from the federal government.
The White...
AllSides Picks
Headline Roundup
DEA Permitted Hundreds of Thousands of Fentanyl Pills in Favor of Bigger Cases: AP Report
June 22nd, 2026
Red Blue Translator
Peace
Red Blue Translator
