Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg cheekily called out New Jersey as an unlikely setting for an alien invasion as a rash of drone sightings over the state have stirred public panic over the last month.
Within minutes of appearing on Monday’s episode of “The Breakfast Show,” Charlamange tha God pressed Buttigieg to address the “SUV-sized drones” spotted over the Garden State and disclose if the disturbing phenomena is part of an “alien invasion.”
“I mean no disrespect to New Jersey when I say I think it’s very unlikely that an alien invasion would begin in New Jersey,” the former South Bend, Ind. mayor said, as the group of entertainers erupted in laughter.
Co-host DJ Envy jokingly struck back telling Buttigieg to “watch your mouth” while sharing that the trio of hosts live in New Jersey.
“I love New Jersey. I’m just saying I don’t think that’s the main point of entry that an extraterrestrial would…unless there’s something we don’t know about,” Buttigieg added.
“I would go for someplace in the Pacific where there’s no inhabited space for a couple of hundred miles so that I could get kind of my bearings before I go anywhere anyone is going to see me, right?”
Buttigieg contended that any potential intelligent life would likely want to take their time setting up shop, prompting Charlamage to ask, “What if they’ve been watching us for years already?”
“Yea, maybe, I don’t know,” Buttigieg said.
“Secretary Pete knows something,” Charlamagne quipped.
The quick discussion at the start of the 38-minute interview garnered a range of reactions from followers on YouTube, with some lauding Buttigieg as their favorite politician.
“So basically Jersey isn’t on the radar for intelligent life,” one follower posted.
“Buttigieg never said it WAS NOT an invasion,” another follower commented.
Drone sightings in recent months, primarily over New Jersey and portions of New York, have raised the alarm among locals and security concerns for authorities, who fear foreign agents are behind them.
The Post reported this week that there have been sightings near at least 17 US military installations as far off as Hawaii and Utah that are located near Chinese-owned property.
The White House has largely downplayed the concerns despite repeated calls from local residents and government officials demanding action to at least get answers for the mysterious flying objects.
The Federal Aviation Administration has temporarily banned drone operations over parts of New Jersey until mid-January and warned that the government may respond with “deadly force” against drones that pose a threat.
