A US Defense Department spokesman said today there is no evidence that mysterious drones seen in New Jersey are linked to a foreign power, rejecting a Republican congressman’s claim that they came from an Iranian “mothership”.

Earlier today, Republican Congressman Jeff Van Drew claimed drones were taken off an Iranian ship off the US East Coast. “What we discovered is alarming: drones coming from the (Atlantic) ocean side, possibly connected to a missing Iranian mothership,” he wrote in a post on the X platform (formerly Twitter).

The Pentagon categorically denied Jeff Van Drew’s claim. “It’s not true. “There is no Iranian ship off the coast of the United States, there is no so-called ‘mother ship’ launching drones at the United States,” Defense Department spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters.

He added that the mysterious drones do not belong to the US military either and that the case is being investigated by the security services. He explained that they were not shot down because they were deemed not to pose a threat.

In an interview with Fox News, Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew claimed the drones came from an Iranian “mother ship” located off the US East Coast.

During the regular weekly press briefing, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries was asked about the lack of information about the mysterious drones seen in the skies over New Jersey. “We need more transparency from law enforcement and we will make sure that happens in the coming days and weeks,” Jeffries said.