News Wrap: White House says mysterious drones over New Jersey not a safety threat

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• Geoff Bennett:

  Turning now to the day's other headlines: White House officials tried to reassure the public today that mysterious drones reported over New Jersey and other states are neither a security issue nor a safety threat.

  But state and local officials are pressing for more transparency. And one Senator, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, went so far as to suggest shooting some down if necessary.

• Woman:

  That is a drone. That is not an airplane.

• Geoff Bennett:

  All over social media.

• Man:

  There are literally dozens of drones flying around.

• Geoff Bennett:

  Video after video showing mysterious drones flashing in the night sky. New Jersey has been the epicenter of the drone sightings, with others reportedly spotted in New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland.

• Woman:

  They're just pacing back and forth.

• Geoff Bennett:

  Sometimes hovering in clusters. They were first seen in November near a military facility in Morris County, New Jersey, and flying over president-elect Donald Trump's golf course in Bedminster. Those sightings prompted the FBI to mount an investigation and the FAA to temporarily issue flight restrictions over those areas.

• Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX):

  It's concerning. It's frustrating.

• Geoff Bennett:

  And on Capitol Hill this week, outrage.

• Rep. Tony Gonzales:

  You're telling me we don't know what the hell these drones are in New Jersey are?

• Robert Wheeler, FBI Criminal Incident Response Group:

  That's right.

• Rep. Tony Gonzales:

  It's crazy. I mean, that's crazy.

• Geoff Bennett:

  Republican lawmakers from the Jersey Shore area shared their own theories to FOX News.

• Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ):

  Not just suspicious, provocative, and this could be a foreign power.

• Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ):

  Iran launched a mother ship probably about a month ago that contains these drones.

• SABRINA SINGH, Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary:

  There is not any truth to that.

• Geoff Bennett:

  The Pentagon quickly refuted those claims.

• Sabrina Singh:

  There's no so-called mother ship launching drones towards the United States.

• Geoff Bennett:

  In a statement, the U.S. Northern Command, which oversees the Defense Department's homeland security efforts, said it had conducted a deliberate analysis of the events, but it had not been asked to assist with these events.

  Today, some Democrats voiced their frustration.

• Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ):

  It's allowing a lot of potentially disinformation to spread or at least fear. We should know what's going on over our skies.

• Geoff Bennett:

  White House national security spokesman John Kirby:

• John Kirby, NSC Coordinator For Strategic Communications:

  We have no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or a public safety threat or have a foreign nexus.

• Geoff Bennett:

  That assurance echoed by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.

• Gov. Phil Murphy (D-NJ):

  Based on everything we know, there is no public safety risk that we're aware of. On the other hand, is it frustrating to not have more answers? Is it frustrating to not have a source for these things? Yes.

• Geoff Bennett:

  Kirby added that the reported sightings appear to be overstated, with drones often mistaken for lawfully operated aircraft.

• Karine Jean-Pierre, White House Press Secretary:

  OK. Thank you so much.

• John Kirby:

  Thank you, Karine.

• Question:

  Thank you, John.

• Geoff Bennett:

  Also today, a report from the Justice Department inspector general's office found that there were no undercover FBI employees on the scene during the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

  The findings knocked down a conspiracy theory advanced by some Republicans in Congress that the FBI played a role in the events of that day. The review also found that the FBI should have done more to gather intelligence before the riot unfolded, though it acknowledges that the bureau did prepare for the possibility of violence.

  The Justice Department, meantime, has reached a deal with the city of Louisville on a federal oversight plan to reform its police force following the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor. The consent decree, as it's known, follows a DOJ report from last year that found the police department violated the constitutional rights of Louisville's Black community.

  Mayor Craig Greenberg said the agreement "will build upon and accelerate the transformational police reform we have already begun here in Louisville." The deal comes more than four years after a Louisville police officer fatally shot the 26-year-old Taylor in her own home.

  U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan expressed optimism that a deal may be close on a cease-fire in Gaza. He said he hopes the parties can reach an agreement as early as this month. Sullivan's comments followed a meeting today with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. Sullivan said he saw signs of a willingness to reach a deal from both the Israeli leader and Hamas due in part to Israel's recent cease-fire agreement with Hezbollah.

• Jake Sullivan, U.S. National Security Adviser:

  The surround sound of these negotiations is different today than it has been in the past. We can't rest until it actually happens. It might not happen, but I believe it can happen with political will on both sides. The Israeli government has indicated, including the prime minister, they would like to see this done. We see movement from Hamas.

• Geoff Bennett:

  Just hours after Sullivan's optimistic comments, an Israeli airstrike hit the Nuseirat refugee camp in Central Gaza, killing at least 25 Palestinians and wounding dozens more. That's according to Palestinian medics. There was no immediate comment from Israel on the strike.

  In Ukraine, officials say Russian forces are moving closer to the eastern city of Pokrovsk. Ukraine's top military commander says fighting there is extremely intense and that the Russians are just a few miles from the key rail and road hub for Ukraine's army.

  Meantime, in Brussels, NATO chief Mark Rutte said European nations need to shift to a wartime mind-set and boost their defense spending to address the threat from Russia.

• Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary-General:

  The security situation does not look good. It's undoubtedly the worst in my lifetime and I suspect in yours too. What is happening in Ukraine could happen here too. And regardless of the outcome of this war, we will not be safe in the future unless we are prepared to deal with danger.

• Geoff Bennett:

  His comments come amid broader uncertainty over how incoming President Donald Trump will approach the alliance and its commitment to Ukraine's war effort.

  In South Korea, President Yoon Suk Yeol is doubling down on his martial law decree. In a televised address today, he called his actions an act of governance against criminal groups and he vowed to fight to the end. His comments come as the nation's Parliament passed motions today to impeach the national police chief and justice minister over their enforcement of the martial law order.

  Meantime, hundreds of protesters clashed with police outside Yoon's residence. They're calling for him to step down, a sentiment echoed by members of his own party.

• Han Dong-Hoon, Leader, People Power Party (through interpreter):

  The president should be immediately excluded from state administration, including the military leadership. As long as it has been confirmed that the president has no intention of stepping down early, an immediate suspension of his duties is required.

• Geoff Bennett:

  South Korea's opposition parties have submitted a second impeachment motion against Yoon after he survived a similar measure last Saturday. This latest effort is set to go to a floor vote this weekend.

  The head of the Federal Aviation Administration, Mike Whitaker, says he will resign on January 20. That's the day Donald Trump is inaugurated. Whitaker took over the five-year role in late 2023 and has seen the agency through a difficult period, including a number of near-miss incidents in the fallout from Boeing's door panel blowout last January.

  That's on top of staffing shortages and problems with delays and congestions across the nation's airports. His departure clears the way for president-elect Trump to name his own pick to lead the agency.

  In Southern California, cooler temperatures and calmer winds are expected to help efforts to rein in the Franklin Fire, which has been ravaging parts of Malibu this week. Meteorologists have already dropped all red flag warnings related to dangerous fire and wind conditions. Nearly 20,000 residents were still under evacuation orders. As of Wednesday night, thousands had already fled their homes.

  At last check, the Franklin Fire has burned some 4,000 acres and was about 20 percent contained.

  On Wall Street today, stocks slipped after a report showed that wholesale inflation accelerated last month. The Dow Jones industrial average lost more than 200 points, or about half-a-percent. The Nasdaq fell back below the 20,000-point level. The S&P 500 also ended lower on the day.