A post shared on Threads claims drones recently seen in New Jersey are “anti-nuke tracers.”
Verdict: False
There was no mention of the drones being “anti-nuke tracers” in recent statements released by multiple federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Fact Check:
Besides the Northeast, drones have also recently been seen near military bases in California and Utah, according to USA Today. At least six “drone incursions” were seen near Camp Pendleton in the span of one week, the outlet reported.
The Threads post, which has received over 300 likes as of writing, claims drones recently seen in New Jersey are “anti-nuke tracers.”
“The drones are anti-nuke tracers. Meaning they can detect nuclear activity or ‘boom cases.’ The [government] is playing stupid because they don’t want to cause massive panic in major cities (NY & NJ) but it’s believed a nuclear suitcase has entered the US already and counter-intelligence are using these drones to try and locate it and protect military assets, DC and other locations. It’s why they’re saying they’re not a threat and don’t shoot them down,” the post, which does not provide a source to support its claim, reads.
The claim is false. A Dec. 14 statement released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the DHS, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Department of Defense (DOD) does not mention anything about the drones being anti-nuke tracers. Likewise, the claim is not referenced in a Dec. 16 statement from the same federal agencies.
“Having closely examined the technical data and tips from concerned citizens, we assess that the sightings to date include a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones, and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and stars mistakenly reported as drones. We have not identified anything anomalous and do not assess the activity to date to present a national security or public safety risk over the civilian airspace in New Jersey or other states in the northeast,” the Dec. 16 statement reads in part.
Additionally, none of the federal agencies appear to have publicly commented on the claim on social media. (RELATED: Video Of Biden Speaking About Drones Is AI-Generated)
Check Your Fact also did not find any credible news reports to support the claim. In fact, the opposite is true. On Dec. 17, Lead Stories debunked the claim.
Check Your Fact has contacted the DHS and the DOD for comment.
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