The Daily Signal - Drones Over New Jersey, Army vs. Navy Game, Nancy Pelosi Hospitalized | Dec. 13

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Starting point is 00:00:29 Drones are flying over New Jersey and American citizens and lawmakers want answers. I'm Virginia Allen and this is The Daily Signal's top news in 10 for Friday, December 13. For days now, citizens in New Jersey have been watching drones fly over their communities. In fact, it's been 10 days since the FBI office in New York issued a plea to the public asking for information about these mysterious drone sightings. And now U.S. officials are Osco asking for. for help and wanting answers, including New Jersey Democrat Senator Cory Booker. Here with us to explain more is Heritage Foundation Senior Research Fellow in Naval Warfare and Advanced Technology. Brent, Sadler. Brent, thanks for being with us. Thanks for having me on. So let's start off by talking

Starting point is 00:01:27 about kind of what we know about this situation. There's obviously a lot that is unknown. And quite frankly, I find it really hard to believe that the U.S. government does not know who is flying these drones and why they're being flown. They just maybe don't want to share that information. Am I naive to say that? I'd say probably 90% is incompetence and actually just don't know. The other 10% is probably some nefarious activities and maybe some government activities they'd rather people not know about. But I'd say 90% of it is just not doing our jobs like we should. So not doing our jobs like we should. Where does that lead us, though, as far as drawing that conclusion of who on Earth is flying these drones?

Starting point is 00:02:13 Well, first, it's an indictment that we're a very unsurious nation. I mean, we look around the world. We can see that there's been a crisis across the world because we're really not very serious and certainly not taking the time to deal with our threats the way we should. So this current spat of drone sightings, it's a couple of things actually at the same time. But a little bit of context is important. I mean, this issue stretches back to 2018. Congress passed legislation to ostensibly give needed authorities.

Starting point is 00:02:41 What was missing is very clearly holding someone one person accountable to be responsible for the federal and state level to basically coordinate. Because this is a multi-agency federal and state level issue when you're talking about the United States. But we haven't had to deal with anything like this for many, many, many decades, a threat, a persistent threat on our shores. And I'm not talking border security or narcotics type. I'm talking from other actors with ill intent at national state level. So that's all mixed in together. It's all happening at the same time, sadly. So do you think that some of America's foreign adversaries could be playing a role or even responsible for these drones flying over New Jersey?

Starting point is 00:03:19 Absolutely. This is the point I've been hammering on for the last few days, whenever asked, and it's, It's not Iran that's the one that I would say is the most likely. The one who's been caught red-handed three times this year, and actually earlier this week, is China. And China's been using its citizens here, studying as students, and even abroad, to use the smaller type of drones, because there's smaller than there's the industrial grade. Let's focus on the small ones. Earlier this week, they had a Chinese national who was in Southern California, who was arrested on his way back to China, who used a drone to. just spy on a sensitive rocket launch at Vandenberg Air Force Base.

Starting point is 00:03:58 Six months earlier in June, you had three Chinese students in South Korea arrested for using drones, smaller drones again, to take photographs into videotape, U.S. warships in port and in Busan, South Korea. Significant base, a significant place, quite frankly, for a war occurred in Asia. Then, beginning of this year in January, you had another Chinese National, studying at the University of Minnesota, who was arrested for using a drone to videotape and take photographs at our naval base in Norfolk, Virginia of another significant and very sensitive areas. So three data points, not the only data points, but three to kind of make a very clear picture that China is already active in this.

Starting point is 00:04:41 And then, of course, they had the balloons. They tried having people drive under the base. Those didn't work out so well. So drones seem to be kind of like their modus operandi right now. But that's not to say the Iranians aren't in this space or the Russians, because there's just reports today breaking of yet another base overseas. The UK last month had reports our bases in the UK. Small drones. Maybe it's the Chinese.

Starting point is 00:05:04 Maybe it's the Russians. But another base in another country in Europe are now starting to come up as saying we're having this now being observed. Not very cheery for a Friday, Brent, but thank you for your expertise. Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. Well, we will be sure to keep you all updated. we learn more. But Heritage Foundation at Brent Sedler,

Starting point is 00:05:22 thank you for your time. Thank you. Patriotic football fans. Tomorrow is your day. Saturday at 3 p.m. is the Army versus Navy football game. And if you're watching on TV or maybe even have the privilege

Starting point is 00:05:36 of attending the game in person, you can be looking for some pretty big names in the crowd. President-elect Donald Trump is going to be attending the game as well as vice president-elect J.D. Vance. And Vance has invited Daniel Pets. Penny as his guest. Of course, just earlier this week, Penny was acquitted on all charges that he faces in the Jordan Neely New York subway case. Penny is a Marine veteran, and he put Neely in a

Starting point is 00:06:02 chokehold on a New York subway when Neely threatened passengers. Neely was taken to the hospital and declared dead. Penny faced manslaughter charges in the case, but has now been fully acquitted. J.D. Vance wrote on X this morning, Daniel's a good guy, and New York's mob district attorney tried to ruin his life for having a backbone. I'm grateful he accepted my invitation and hope he's able to have fun and appreciate how much his fellow citizens admire his courage. Some other notable political names are attending the game, including Pete Hegseth, who Trump has tapped to lead the Department of Defense, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and retired Army General Mark Millie. Last year, Army beat Navy 17 to 11, so we'll be watching closely to see if the Navy can pull

Starting point is 00:06:48 allowed to win this year. You can stream the game on Paramount Plus with Showtime, or you can catch it on cable at CBS. California Congresswoman and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is in the hospital in Luxembourg. Pelosi is in Luxembourg with a bipartisan congressional delegation to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. In an official statement, Pelosi's spokesman, Ian Crager, says that the former speaker sustained an injury during an official engagement and was admitted to the hospital for evaluation. The New York Times reports that according to a person familiar with the incident, Pelosi tripped while going down marble stairs at the Grand Ducal Palace in Luxembourg. Pelosi is 84 years old. The extent of her injury is not yet public, but her spokesman

Starting point is 00:07:39 says that he regrets that she will not be able to participate in the rest of the delegation trip. Jack Posobic of Human Events is reporting that Pelosi broke her hip, but Pelosi's office has not confirmed this to the public. Pelosi's fall comes just days after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell fell outside a Senate Party lunch and sprained his wrist and cut his face, according to the Associated Press. McConnell is 82. Pelosi and McConnell's recent falls have renewed calls on social media for congressional term limits. Pelosi was first elected to the House in 1987 and McConnell to the Senate in 1984. Now let's hit our news flashes for the day. First up, music legend Elton John has issued a warning against the legalization of marijuana. John has had issues with drug usage in the past, and during an interview with Time magazine, he said legalizing marijuana in America and Canada is one of the greatest mistakes of all time. He called marijuana addictive and said it leads to other drugs.

Starting point is 00:08:45 Today, marijuana is legal in about half of all U.S. states. France has a new prime minister. News broke today that President Emmanuel Macron has tapped Francois Beiru to be the next prime minister. Beiru is a centrist politician and will be the country's fourth prime minister this year. He is taking over after Michel Barnier resigned from the position last week following a vote of no confidence. The CEO of United Health Care Group, Andrew Whitty, has issued his first public statement since the shooting death of the company's top executive, Brian Thompson. Writing for the New York Times, the CEO said, we are bearing a grief and sadness we will carry for the rest of our lives.

Starting point is 00:09:31 Grief for the family he leaves behind, and grief for a brilliant, kind man who was working to make health care better for everyone. The CEO sought Ted George. some of the outcry over issues with the U.S. health care system that have risen to the surface as a result of Thompson being killed. Whittie said, we know the health system does not work as well as it should, and we understand people's frustrations with it. No one would design a system like the one we have, and no one did. It's a patchwork built over decades. Our mission is to help make it work better. With that, that's going to do it for today's episode. Thanks for joining us here for the Daily Signal's Top News in 10. Don't forget to hit that subscribe button so you never miss out

Starting point is 00:10:17 on brand new shows from The Daily Signal. And if you have a minute, leave us a five-star rating and review. We love hearing your feedback. Have a wonderful weekend. We'll see you back here tomorrow for the Daily Signal podcast interview edition. The Daily Signal podcast is made possible because of listeners like you. Executive producers are Rob Lewy and Katrina Trinko. Hosts are Virginia Allen, Brian Gottstein, Tyler O'Neill, and Elizabeth Mitchell. Sound design by Lauren Evans, Mark Geinie, John Pop, and Joseph von Spakovsky. To learn more or support our work, please visit DailySignal.com.

The Daily Signal - Drones Over New Jersey, Army vs. Navy Game, Nancy Pelosi Hospitalized | Dec. 13

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