'Inconceivable': Pennsylvania senator mistakes Star Wars prop for drone

Republican Pennsylvania Senator Doug Mastriano shared a photo of what he believed was one of the mysterious drones that have been spotted across the East Coast of the US over the past few weeks in a Tuesday X/Twitter post. The "drone," however, was actually a space vehicle from the fictional world of Star Wars. 

The posted photograph of the supposed drone was a replica of a TIE Fighter space vehicle from Star Wars.

Mastriano, who is backed by President-elect Donald Trump, wrote that it was “inconceivable” that the American government had yet to provide any answers regarding the alleged drones that had been spotted. 

“The fecklessness of this administration was on display last year when a Chinese surveillance balloon was allowed to fly over the entire continental United States before being shot down," Mastriano wrote. 

“We have recourses and assets in our arsenal to get answers, but I suppose Ukraine is more important to the White House. January 20th can’t come soon enough,” he added.

"It is inconceivable that the federal government has no answers nor has taken any action to get to the bottom of the unidentified drones. The fecklessness of this administration was on display last year when a Chinese surveillance balloon was allowed to fly over the entire continental United States before being shot down," the post continued. 

pic.twitter.com/qWqyH3dnkI

— Senator Doug Mastriano (@SenMastriano) December 16, 2024

The post has currently received over five million views and has received a community note by X users that reads, “The photo is of a prop/replica spaceship from Star Wars.”

Alongside the note, many sci-fi fans were quick to point out Mastriano’s mistake.

“Are the drones in the room with us now?” one user commented.

Mastriano has since claimed that he knew all along the drone was a prop, writing in a separate post that it was just a “meme,” and said he was amazed the “left-wing” media didn’t get his “obvious” joke.

Nevertheless, X users expressed skepticism regarding this claim.

“No one believes you didn't think it was real,” an X user commented. 

East Coast drone sightings

Multiple drones have been sighted across the East Coast, beginning in New Jersey in mid-November and spreading to other states in the weeks after.

The sightings have garnered significant media attention, even prompting the creation of a Facebook page called "New Jersey Mystery Drones - let's solve it" with over 50,000 members.

Earlier this week, National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby John Kirby stated that none of the drone sightings thus far included any unlawful activity or any national security or safety risk to the United States.