President-elect Donald Trump has suggested that “mysterious drones” recently spotted in New Jersey and other parts of the country should be shot down.

A large number of drones have been spotted in New Jersey and neighboring states in recent weeks, sparking concern among residents and lawmakers and prompting investigations by the FBI and other law enforcement agencies.

The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security said in a joint statement Thursday that there is “no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a threat to national or public safety or have any foreign connection.”

Regardless, drone sightings continued in New Jersey and concern only grew as more sightings occurred in areas across the country.

Trump spoke out in favor of shooting down the drones on Friday evening, while suggesting that President Joe Biden’s administration was withholding information about the sightings.

“Mystery drone sightings across the country,” he wrote in a post to Truth Social. “Can this really happen without our government’s knowledge? I do not believe that! Inform the public, now. Otherwise shoot them!!! DJT.”

Newsweek asked the White House for comment via email Friday evening.

The FBI says it has received over 3,000 tips related to the sightings, with most of the alleged sightings occurring at night. The phenomenon has prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to issue temporary flight restrictions at the Picatinny Arsenal military base in New Jersey and the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster.

Lawmakers on both sides have raised concerns and called for additional investigations. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, called on Biden in a letter to the outgoing president Thursday to dedicate more resources to “fully understand what’s behind this activity.”

“The continued reporting of (drone) activity has raised more questions than answers and led to a flood of conspiracy theories on social media and other platforms,” Murphy wrote. “I respectfully request that you continue to direct the federal agencies involved to cooperate until they find answers…”

John Kirby, White House national security communications adviser, said during a news conference Thursday that federal and state authorities are using “numerous detection methods” to investigate the drones but have found “no known malicious activity.”

“Through the use of sophisticated electronic detection technologies provided by federal agencies, we, nor state or local law enforcement, have been able to confirm any of the reported visual sightings,” Kirby said.

“On the contrary, upon reviewing the available images, it appears that many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft operating legally,” he added.

Update 12/13/24, 11:30 p.m.: This article has been updated with additional information.