Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) on Tuesday said he believes the government is lying about recent drone activity.
“You think the government is lying?” NewsNation’s Blake Burman asked Burchett on “The Hill.” “I don’t wanna put words in your mouth, but you think they're — they're lying on this issue, Congressman?”
“Oh yeah, I mean, when — when have they ever told us the truth on anything ... Come on, this thing has been going on, and … I don't think they have control of it, and they don't know what to do, so they're just gonna lie,” Burchett responded.
Drone sightings have rattled multiple Northeastern states, most notably New Jersey, over the past month. Federal government officials said in a Monday statement that recent drone sightings have included a combination of “lawful” drones, other aircraft and stars.
“We recognize the concern among many communities,” the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), FBI, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Defense (DOD) said in their joint statement.
“We continue to support state and local authorities with advanced detection technology and support of law enforcement. We urge Congress to enact counter-[unmanned aircraft systems] legislation when it reconvenes that would extend and expand existing counter-drone authorities to identify and mitigate any threat that may emerge,” they added.
On Monday, President-elect Trump said that the Biden administration knows what is happening with the drone sightings, implying that they are not due to a foreign adversary.
The Tennessee Republican later added that he believes Trump will “go a long way in solving” the drone sightings.
The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment.
NewsNation is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns The Hill.
