Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter{beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story  Outrage over drones grows as federal agencies stay mumOfficials across the U.S. northeast are growing increasingly worried about the now-regular spotting of drones, with lawmakers calling for answers and more transparency from federal agencies. © Greg Nash, The HillIt’s been 10 days since the FBI office in Newark, N.J. put out a public plea for information about sightings of “possible drones."   Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) on Thursday urged federal “transparency” while Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden asked for federal help.  Officials in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Connecticut have since joined New Jersey's demands for information after more sightings were reported in those states. The White House, meanwhile, on Thursday insisted the Department of Homeland Security, FBI and state and local law enforcement agencies “have not been able to corroborate any of the reported visual sightings," a response that many lawmakers see as unacceptable.  “What is happening is outrageous. Thousands of drones and unmanned aerial systems flying above us, and our government is not telling us who’s operating them and for what purpose,” Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) told reporters in Staten Island on Friday.  At the same press conference, Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella called on the New York Police Department to do more investigation into the sightings and expressed continued frustration at state and federal agencies over the drones' origin.  “This is 2024. They’re either lying, they’re incompetent, or both,” he said.  And former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) chimed in Friday, saying he personally witnessed “dozens of large drones” above his home, but that the White House, the U.S. military, the FBI and Homeland Security have no "idea what they are, where they came from, or who has launched or is controlling them," according to a post on X. “That response is entirely unacceptable,” Hogan wrote. “I join with the growing bipartisan chorus of leaders demanding that the federal government immediately address this issue. The American people deserve answers and action now.”   A number of House and Senate lawmakers also have called for briefings from state and federal officials as concerns rise about the unidentified lights flying over U.S. states, with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Friday receiving a classified briefing on the matter. Read more at TheHill.com.  Welcome to The Hill’s Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Ellen Mitchell — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond.   Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.   Essential Reads  How policy will affect defense and national security now and inthe future:  US military flies missing American out of SyriaThe U.S. military on Friday flew a missing American citizen out of Syria this week, after the stunning fall of Syrian leader Bashar Assad’s regime. Travis Timmerman was transferred to U.S. forces in Syria on Friday, according to a defense official, and was flown to Jordan. U.S. Central Command, the military headquarters in the Middle East region, is working with the State Department to ensure Timmerman can safely return …  Full Story  Iran has new drone ship in Persian GulfIran has a new ship with the capability of launching drones, according to satellite images reviewed by Maxar Technologies that were shared with The Hill. The new drone ship, called Shahid Bagheri, is anchored offshore of the Iranian naval port of Bandar Abbas in the Persian Gulf, according to Maxar. The ship was originally a commercial container ship but was modified into a drone carrier vessel for Iran’s naval forces. …  Full Story  Syria’s rebels face a new battle: Winning over the West The emerging transitional government in Syria faces a daunting road ahead as it looks to unite a vast coalition of rebel groups and appeal to Western nations concerned about whether the country will suppress minority communities or become a haven for violent extremists.  The opposition force that toppled Bashar Assad’s regime this month was led by an al Qaeda offshoot, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has tried …  Full Story   On Our Radar  Upcoming things we're watching on our beat:  The Army-Navy football game will take place on Saturday, with President-elect Trump to attend along with his Defense secretary pick Pete Hegseth and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.    In Other News  Branch out with a different read from The Hill:Five things to know about the recent drone sightings in New Jersey Reports of drone sightings in New Jersey have rattled Garden State residents in recent days, with Gov. Phil Murphy (D) saying on Monday that he is taking them “deadly seriously.” The local FBI field office in Newark last week said that they, alongside New Jersey authorities, “are asking for the public … Full Story   On Tap Monday  Events in and around the defense world:  The Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft will discuss “Power plays: U.S. Turkey relations under Trump,” at 12 p.m. The Center for a New American Security will speak with Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves on shaping and implementing policy at the intersection of national and economic security, at 2 p.m  What We're Reading  News we've flagged from other outlets: Boeing delays mean Trump won’t fly on a new Air Force One (The Wall Street Journal) Veterans are filing more claims for service-related sexual assault, VA officials say (Military.com) A Coast Guard commander miscarried. She nearly died after being denied care. (ProPublica)  Trending Today  Two key stories on The Hill right now: Senate Democrats livid with exiting Sinema, Manchin: ‘Pathetic’ Senate Democrats were livid after Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) and Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.), two longtime members of their caucus, voted Wednesday to … Read more Gabbard struggles to woo senators ahead of confirmation fight Tulsi Gabbard is struggling through her meetings with senators this week, sources told The Hill, highlighting the difficult path she faces in winning … Read more  Opinions in The Hill Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill: What Assad’s fall tells us about UkraineUS would face a 4-way axis in confrontation with China Tulsi Gabbard is the strong, intelligent leader our intelligence community needs   You're all caught up. See you next week!  Close Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here The latest in politics and policy. Direct to your inbox. Sign up for the Defense and National Security newsletter Subscribe