A video shared on X claims that Connecticut Democratic Representative Jim Himes said the drones purportedly seen over New Jersey are “federal operation.”

🚨BREAKING: New Jersey Drones Are “Federal Operations”

After attending a classified briefing in a Secure Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF), Jim Himes, said: “These sightings in New Jersey, Connecticut, anywhere they’re being sighted, are federal government operations…” pic.twitter.com/zNIVGP4zXI

— Jay Anderson (@TheProjectUnity) December 17, 2024

Verdict: False

Himes said the exact opposite, saying they are not a federal operation.

Fact Check:

Purported sightings of drones by thousands of residents in New Jersey and other states have prompted demands for answers from the federal government, according to Reuters. U.S. officials have said that the sightings included manned aircraft, per the outlet.

Social media users are claiming that Himes, the ranking member on the House Intelligence Committee, said that the drones are “federal government operations.” (RELATED: Facebook Image Does Not Show Authentic Headline From Christian Website About Hunter Biden Pardon)

“BREAKING: New Jersey Drones Are “Federal Operations” After attending a classified briefing in a Secure Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF), Jim Himes, said: “These sightings in New Jersey, Connecticut, anywhere they’re being sighted, are federal government operations…” reads one user’s post.

This claim is false. The video shows Himes saying that they “are not, we were assured.

“These sightings in New Jersey, Connecticut, anywhere they’re being sighted, are federal government operations. They are not, were assured over, over and over again, they are not federal government operations, radiation, gas, recovery, anything else,” Himes said.

@AskaPol-UAPs, which describes itself as your “conduit to Congress — asking your lawmakers your UAP questions at your Capitol,” said in a Dec. 17 X post that Himes said “they are not US government drones.”

CORRECTION:

House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Jim Himes tells me they are NOT US government drones. pic.twitter.com/8pxxbGWx6y

— @AskaPol_UAPs (@AskaPol_UAPs) December 17, 2024

“CORRECTION: House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Jim Himes tells me they are NOT US government drones,” reads the post.