The Free Press
NewslettersSign InSubscribe
Mass Hysteria? Iran? China? The U.S. Military? How the Leading Drone Theories Stack Up.
Workers with Open Sky drone light shows placed 300 drones for takeoff for the city's July 4 celebration in Laguna Beach, California, on July 4, 2024. (Paul Bersebach via Getty Images)
“I find the message from the administration that everyone is hallucinating to be gaslighting,” says Rep. Ritchie Torres. “There’s obviously a there there.”
By Madeleine Kearns
12.17.24 — U.S. Politics
162
137

Last week, The Free Press reported on the sightings of what appeared to be large drones flying over New Jersey, and the reactions from lawmakers and federal government officials. Members of the House of Representatives openly speculated that the drones are operated by Iran, China, and the U.S. government.

In the days since, public scrutiny has only increased. In the absence of a clear and convincing statement from federal government officials—telling the American people exactly what these flying objects are, and what they’re doing—theories have swirled online ranging from detecting an imminent radioactive threat to surveying military installations on behalf of foreign adversaries.

On Sunday, Department of Homeland Security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told CNN that the federal government has not seen “anything unusual” and that they “know of no threat or of any nefarious activity.” Mayorkas said “it is very common for individuals who think they see drones to actually see small aircraft and we have a case of mistaken identity.”

But Americans aren’t buying it. Nor are some of our elected officials.

Continue Reading The Free Press
To support our journalism, and unlock all of our investigative stories and provocative commentary about the world as it actually is, subscribe below.
Annual
$8.33/month
Billed as $100 yearly
Save 17%!
Monthly
$10/month
Billed as $10 monthly
Already have an account?
Sign In
To read this article, sign in or subscribe
Madeleine Kearns
Madeleine Kearns is an associate editor at The Free Press. Previously, she was a staff writer at National Review where she regularly appeared on the magazine’s flagship podcast, The Editors. Her work has also appeared in The Spectator, The Wall Street Journal, The Telegraph, UnHerd, and a range of other publications. She writes and performs music.
Tags:
Tech
Comments
Join the conversation
Share your thoughts and connect with other readers by becoming a paid subscriber!
Already a paid subscriber? Sign in

No posts

For Free People.
LatestSearchAboutCareersShopPodcastsVideoEvents
Download the app
Download on the Google Play Store
©2025 The Free Press. All Rights Reserved.Powered by Substack.
Privacy∙Terms∙Collection notice