Amid mounting public concern over a surge in drone sightings across New Jersey and parts of New York City, former acting Director of National Intelligence Ric Grenell appeared on Newsmax on Thursday, calling on Avril Haines, the current Director of National Intelligence, to provide clarity and answers.
Drone sightings have alarmed residents and officials in New Jersey and New York City, with nearly 50 reported incidents in a single night last weekend, according to New Jersey Democrat Gov. Philip D. Murphy. The unexplained activity, which spans at least ten counties in New Jersey since mid-November, has sparked widespread concerns about potential threats and left many demanding transparency.
Grenell, a senior national security analyst at Newsmax, joined "Greg Kelly Reports" to discuss the situation and urge Haines to provide the public with information.
"We don't know what these drones are. We do know that Iran wants to kill President [-elect Donald] Trump. Are they gathering information? Who's sending these drones? Are people unwittingly giving information to a foreign government? We have so many questions," he pondered.
"When the intelligence agencies are telling us not to worry, and yet they're not giving us specific information, we worry. We don't trust the government," he added.
"I have talked about how Avril Haines ... has not been very transparent," Grenell said. "There's a lot of leaks that happen from the intelligence community. She hasn't been able to get a handle on those leaks. She also doesn't come forward and just tell the public some basic facts about what we know or what we don't know."
"If the intelligence community wants us to calm down and believe them, then they need to come forward and do their duty in telling the public some information," he said.
He called for Haines to directly address the public, saying, "Avril Haines should hold a press conference and calm us all down or tell us the information that she knows or doesn't know. This is pretty simple, but she has always been silent. For four years, she has allowed leaks to happen, and she has not come clean with the public."
With public trust in government agencies at stake, Grenell argued that transparency is critical.
"The reason we have intelligence agencies ... is to inform U.S. officials so that we have better U.S. policies that protect Americans and bring more prosperity to America… that is the reason [why] we have intelligence," he said.
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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